Methods for identifying and/or selecting wheat plants having a mutation in an endogenous Ms1 gene

ABSTRACT

Compositions and methods are capable of modulating male fertility in a plant. Compositions comprise polynucleotides and polypeptides, and fragments and variants thereof, which modulate male fertility. Expression cassettes comprise a male-fertility polynucleotide, or fragment or variant thereof, operably linked to a promoter, wherein expression of the polynucleotide modulates the male fertility of a plant. Regulatory sequences drive expression in a male-tissue-preferred manner and may be targets to downregulate an operably-linked gene. Mutations that induce nuclear recessive male sterility in subsequent selfing and crossing of wheat lines containing the mutations may be tracked. Male-sterile plants may be maintained by crossing with a maintainer plant. Hybrids can be produced using the male-sterile plants.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/866,078, filed Sep. 25, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,519,464, issued Dec. 31, 2019, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/187,591, filed Jul. 1, 2015, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/056,365, filed Sep. 26, 2014, each of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of plant molecular biology, more particularly to influencing male fertility.

REFERENCE TO ELECTRONICALLY-SUBMITTED SEQUENCE LISTING

The official copy of the sequence listing is submitted electronically via EFS-Web as an ASCII formatted sequence listing file named RTS20250D-US-NP_ST25.txt, last modified on Sep. 25, 2015, having a size of 79 KB, and is filed concurrently with the specification. The sequence listing contained in this ASCII formatted document is part of the specification and is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Development of hybrid plant breeding has made possible considerable advances in quality and quantity of crops produced. Increased yield and combination of desirable characteristics, such as resistance to disease and insects, heat and drought tolerance, along with variations in plant composition are all possible because of hybridization procedures. These procedures frequently rely heavily on providing for a male parent contributing pollen to a female parent to produce the resulting hybrid.

Field crops are bred through techniques that take advantage of the plant's method of pollination. A plant is self-pollinated if pollen from one flower is transferred to the same or another flower of the same plant or a genetically identical plant. A plant is cross-pollinated if the pollen comes from a flower on a genetically different plant.

In certain species, such as Brassica campestris, the plant is normally self-sterile and can only be cross-pollinated. In predominantly self-pollinating species, such as soybeans, wheat, and cotton, the male and female plants are anatomically juxtaposed such that during natural pollination, the male reproductive organs of a given flower pollinate the female reproductive organs of the same flower.

Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) is a hexaploid plant having three pairs of homologous chromosomes defining genomes A, B and D. The endosperm of wheat grain comprises two haploid complements from a maternal cell and one from a paternal cell. The embryo of wheat grain comprises one haploid complement from each of the maternal and paternal cells. Hexaploidy has been considered a significant obstacle in researching and developing useful variants of wheat. In fact, very little is known regarding how homologous genes of wheat interact, how their expression is regulated, and how the different proteins produced by homologous genes function separately or in concert. Strategies for manipulation of expression of male-fertility polynucleotides in wheat will require consideration of the ploidy level of the individual wheat variety. Triticum aestivum is a hexaploid containing three genomes designated A, B, and D (N=21); each genome comprises seven pairs of nonhomologous chromosomes. Einkorn wheat varieties are diploids (N=7) and emmer wheat varieties are tetraploids (N=14).

An essential aspect of much of the work underway with genetic male sterility systems is the identification of genes influencing male fertility. Such a gene can be used in a variety of systems to control male fertility including those described herein.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Compositions and methods for modulating male fertility in a plant are provided. Compositions comprise expression cassettes comprising one or more male-fertility polynucleotides, or fragments or variants thereof, operably linked to a promoter, wherein expression of the polynucleotide modulates the male fertility of a plant. Various methods are provided wherein the level and/or activity of a polynucleotide or polypeptide that influences male fertility is modulated in a plant or plant part. Methods for identifying and/or selecting wheat plants that are homozygous or heterozygous for a mutation that induces nuclear recessive male sterility are also provided.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows an alignment of barley (SEQ ID NO: 3) and wheat (SEQ ID NO: 5) Ms1 amino acid sequences.

FIG. 2 shows allele series sequence traces for ms1d, ms1e, and ms1f. Coordinate numbers correspond to positions in SEQ ID NO: 7.

FIG. 3 is an alignment of MS1 homologues of Hordeum vulgare (SEQ ID NO: 3), Triticum aestivum (SEQ ID NO: 5), Brachypodium distachyon (SEQ ID NO: 39), and Oryza sativa (SEQ ID NO: 40).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present inventions now will be described more fully hereinafter; some, but not all embodiments of the inventions are shown. Indeed, these inventions may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these inventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the inventions are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

I. Male-Fertility Polynucleotides

Compositions disclosed herein include polynucleotides and polypeptides that influence male fertility. In particular, isolated polynucleotides are provided comprising nucleotide sequences encoding an amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3 or 5, or active fragments or variants thereof. Further provided are polypeptides having an amino acid sequence encoded by a polynucleotide described herein, for example those set forth in SEQ ID NO: 3 or 5, or active fragments or variants thereof.

Sexually reproducing plants develop specialized tissues for the production of male and female gametes. Successful production of male gametes relies on proper formation of the male reproductive tissues. The stamen, which embodies the male reproductive organ of plants, contains various cell types, including for example, the filament, anther, tapetum, and pollen. As used herein, “male tissue” refers to the specialized tissue in a sexually reproducing plant that is responsible for production of the male gamete. Male tissues include, but are not limited to, the stamen, filament, anther, tapetum, and pollen.

The process of mature pollen grain formation begins with microsporogenesis, wherein meiocytes are formed in the sporogenous tissue of the anther. Microgametogenesis follows, wherein microspore nuclei undergo an asymmetric mitotic division to develop the microgametophyte, or pollen grain. The condition of “male fertility” or “male fertile” refers to those plants producing a mature pollen grain capable of fertilizing a female gamete to produce a subsequent generation of offspring. The term “influences male fertility” or “modulates male fertility”, as used herein, refers to any increase or decrease in the ability of a plant to produce a mature pollen grain when compared to an appropriate control. A “mature pollen grain” or “mature pollen” refers to any pollen grain capable of fertilizing a female gamete to produce a subsequent generation of offspring. Likewise, the term “male-fertility polynucleotide” or “male-fertility polypeptide” refers to a polynucleotide or polypeptide that modulates male fertility. A male-fertility polynucleotide may, for example, encode a polypeptide that participates in the process of microsporogenesis or microgametogenesis.

Certain male sterility genes such as MAC1, EMS1 or GNE2 (Sorensen et al. (2002) Plant J. 29:581-594) prevent cell growth in the quartet stage. Mutations in the SPOROCYTELESS/NOZZLE gene act early in development, but impact both anther and ovule formation such that plants are male and female sterile. The SPOROCYTELESS gene of Arabidopsis is required for initiation of sporogenesis and encodes a novel nuclear protein (Genes Dev. 1999 Aug. 15; 13(16):2108-17).

Male-fertility polynucleotides disclosed herein include homologs and orthologs of polynucleotides shown to influence male fertility. For example, male-fertility polynucleotides, and active fragments and variants thereof, disclosed herein include homologs and orthologs of Ms1. Plants lacking a functional Ms1 exhibit physiological changes in reproductive-tissue development and are male-sterile. Phenotyping of ms1 mutants uses techniques known in the art. For example, screening for a male-sterility phenotype in Gladius wheat is performed as follows: To prevent open-pollinated seeds from forming, spikes are covered before anthesis with paper bags fastened with a paper clip. At least three spikes per plant are covered and used for quantitative fertility scoring. To determine the quantitative fertility score, the number of florets per spike and the number of seed per spike are counted and expressed as the number of seeds per floret formed.

As disclosed elsewhere herein, an Ms1 polynucleotide from wheat is set forth in SEQ ID NO: 4 or 7.

Mutants of the Triticum aestivum L. ms1 locus on chromosome arm 4BS include:

-   -   Pugsley's (ms1a); see         -   Pugsley, A. T. and R. N. Oram (1959) Genic male sterility in             wheat. Aust. Pl. Breed. Genet. Newsl. No. 14:10-11;         -   Suneson, C. A. (1962) Use of Pugsley's sterile wheat in             cross breeding. Crop Sci. 2:534-535; and         -   Waninge, J. and Zeven, A. C. (1968) Chromosome numbers in             Pugley's (sic) male sterile wheat. Euphytica 17:378-380.     -   Probus (ms1b); see Fossati, A. and M. Ingold (1970) A male         sterile mutant in Triticum aestivum. Wheat Information Service         (Kyoto) 30:3-10.     -   Cornerstone (ms1c); see Driscoll, C. J. and K. K. Barlow (1976)         Male sterility in plants: Induction, isolation and utilization.         pp. 123-131 in Induced Mutation in Cross-Breeding, IAEA, Vienna,         Austria.         The mutations in Probus and Cornerstone were radiation-induced         and are presumed to result from a terminal deletion of         chromosome arm 4BS. The Pugsley's mutant was isolated as a         spontaneous mutant. The location of the ms1 gene has been         physically mapped to a region comprising the distal 16% of the         4BS chromosome arm (Endo et al. (1991) The Japanese Journal of         Genetics 66(3):291-295; Klindworth et al. (2002) Crop Sci.         42:1447-1450; Cenci et al. (2003) Theor. Appl. Genet         107(5):931-9.

The causal variations of the Ms1 mutations ms1d, ms1e, and ms1f are provided herein, as are markers tightly linked to the Ms1 gene on chromosome 4BS. Markers disclosed herein may be used to track ms1d, ms1e, or ms1f in subsequent selfing and crossing of wheat lines containing the ms1d, ms1e, or ms1f mutations, ensuring that the male sterility trait is advantageously inherited in a wheat breeding program.

The Ms1 mutations, ms1d, ms1e, and ms1f, are recessive mutations of the Ms1 gene that were induced in the Chris wheat variety using ethyl methanesulfonate (Klindworth et al. 2002. Crop Sci. 42:1447-1450). The causal variations of the ms1d, ms1e, and ms1f mutations are provided herein, as are markers linked to the mutations. Markers include ET0487, ET0488, ET0489, ET0490, ET0491, ET0495, 007-0033.1, and 007-0046.1.

A plant breeder can advantageously use molecular markers to identify individuals containing an Ms1 mutation by identifying marker alleles that show a statistically significant probability of co-segregation with male sterility, manifested as linkage disequilibrium. This is referred to as marker assisted selection (MAS). Thus, methods for the selection of mutant wheat plants that are homozygous or heterozygous for a mutation in the Ms1 gene, such as but not limited to ms1d, ms1e, and ms1f, are also provided.

To perform MAS, a nucleic acid corresponding to the marker nucleic acid allele is detected in a biological sample from a plant to be selected. This detection can take the form of hybridization of a probe nucleic acid to a marker allele or amplicon thereof, e.g., using allele-specific hybridization, Southern analysis, northern analysis, in situ hybridization, hybridization of primers followed by PCR amplification of a region of the marker, DNA sequencing of a PCR amplification product, or the like. For any of the marker sequences described herein, one of ordinary skill in the art would understand how to obtain the allele at a marker locus in a particular wheat line or variety using known DNA amplification and sequencing techniques. For the purposes described herein, the lines or varieties that were used were publicly available. Hence, DNA could be obtained, and one of ordinary skill in the art could either use the provided primers or develop primers from the provided reference sequence to amplify and obtain the sequence at each marker locus from each line or variety.

After the presence (or absence) of a particular marker allele in the biological sample is verified, the plant is selected and is crossed to a second plant, optionally a wheat plant from an elite line. The progeny plants produced by the cross can be evaluated for that specific marker allele, and only those progeny plants that have the desired marker allele will be chosen.

Through marker assisted selection, a plant breeder can follow the presence of the male sterility trait through controlled crosses to obtain, when desired, a new plant containing an Ms1 mutation in either the homozygous or heterozygous state, thus maintaining the Ms1 mutations. In addition, marker assisted selection can be used to produce mutant male sterile seed parents that would be used as female, i.e. plants that need pollination by a pollen donor plant, to produce seeds of commercial interest. Alternatively, marker assisted selection could be used to produce F1 hybrids containing an Ms1 mutation in the heterozygous state.

Any of the markers provided herein, as well as any marker linked to and associated with any of those markers, can be used for marker assisted selection of the male sterility trait.

The term “linkage” is used to describe the degree with which one marker locus is “associated with” another marker locus or some other locus (for example, a male sterility locus). A common measure of linkage is the frequency with which traits cosegregate. This can be expressed as a percentage of cosegregation (recombination frequency) or in centiMorgans (cM). The cM is a unit of measure of genetic recombination frequency. One cM is equal to a 1% chance that a trait at one genetic locus will be separated from a trait at another locus due to crossing over in a single generation (meaning the traits segregate together 99% of the time).

Linkage can be expressed as a desired limit or range. For example, in some embodiments, any marker is linked (genetically and physically) to any other marker (or locus such as Ms1) when the markers are separated by less than 50, 40, 30, 25, 20, or 15 map units (or cM). Further linkage can be described by separations of 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 map units (or cM). In some aspects, it is advantageous to define a bracketed range of linkage, for example, between 10 and 20 cM, between 10 and 30 cM, or between 10 and 40 cM.

The more closely a marker is linked to a second locus, the better an indicator for the second locus that marker becomes. Thus, “closely linked loci” such as a marker locus and a second locus display an inter-locus recombination frequency of 10% or less, or about 9% or less, or about 8% or less, or about 7% or less, or about 6% or less, or about 5% or less, or about 4% or less, or about 3% or less, and or about 2% or less. In other embodiments, the relevant loci display a recombination frequency of about 1% or less, e.g., about 0.75% or less, or about 0.5% or less, or about 0.25% or less. Two loci that are localized to the same chromosome, and at such a distance that recombination between the two loci occurs at a frequency of less than 10% (e.g., about 9%, 8%, 7%, 6%, 5%, 4%, 3%, 2%, 1%, 0.75%, 0.5%, 0.25%, or less) are also said to be “proximal to” each other. Since one cM is the distance between two genetic markers that show a 1% recombination frequency, any marker is closely linked (genetically and physically) to any other marker that is in close proximity, e.g., at or less than 10 cM distant. Two closely linked markers on the same chromosome can be positioned 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0.75, 0.5, 0.25, 0.1, 0.075, 0.05, 0.025, or 0.01 cM or less from each other.

Although particular marker alleles can show co-segregation with the male sterility phenotype, it is important to note that the markers are not necessarily part of the locus responsible for expression of male sterility. For example, it is not a requirement that the marker polynucleotide sequence be part of the Ms1 gene. The association between a specific marker allele and the male sterility phenotype is due to the original “coupling” linkage phase between the marker allele and the Ms1 mutation in the wheat line in which the Ms1 mutation originated. Because ms1d, ms1e, and ms1f originated in variety Chris, the marker alleles in Chris within the Ms1 region can be used to track the ms1d, ms1e, and ms1f mutations in subsequent generations.

Isolated or substantially purified nucleic acid molecules or protein compositions are disclosed herein. An “isolated” or “purified” nucleic acid molecule, polynucleotide, polypeptide, or protein, or biologically active portion thereof, is substantially or essentially free from components that normally accompany or interact with the polynucleotide or protein as found in its naturally occurring environment. Thus, an isolated or purified polynucleotide or polypeptide or protein is substantially free of other cellular material, or culture medium when produced by recombinant techniques, or substantially free of chemical precursors or other chemicals when chemically synthesized. Optimally, an “isolated” polynucleotide is free of sequences (optimally protein encoding sequences) that naturally flank the polynucleotide (i.e., sequences located at the 5′ and 3′ ends of the polynucleotide) in the genomic DNA of the organism from which the polynucleotide is derived. For example, in various embodiments, the isolated polynucleotide can contain less than about 5 kb, 4 kb, 3 kb, 2 kb, 1 kb, 0.5 kb, or 0.1 kb of nucleotide sequence that naturally flank the polynucleotide in genomic DNA of the cell from which the polynucleotide is derived. A protein that is substantially free of cellular material includes preparations of protein having less than about 30%, 20%, 10%, 5%, or 1% (by dry weight) of contaminating protein. When the polypeptides disclosed herein or biologically active portion thereof is recombinantly produced, optimally culture medium represents less than about 30%, 20%, 10%, 5%, or 1% (by dry weight) of chemical precursors or non-protein-of-interest chemicals.

A “subject plant” or “subject plant cell” is one in which genetic alteration, such as transformation, has been effected as to a gene of interest, or is a plant or plant cell which is descended from a plant or cell so altered and which comprises the alteration. A “control” or “control plant” or “control plant cell” provides a reference point for measuring changes in phenotype of the subject plant or plant cell.

A control plant or plant cell may comprise, for example: (a) a wild-type plant or plant cell, i.e., of the same genotype as the starting material for the genetic alteration which resulted in the subject plant or cell; (b) a plant or plant cell of the same genotype as the starting material but which has been transformed with a null construct (i.e. with a construct which has no known effect on the trait of interest, such as a construct comprising a marker gene); (c) a plant or plant cell which is a non-transformed segregant among progeny of a subject plant or plant cell; (d) a plant or plant cell genetically identical to the subject plant or plant cell but which is not exposed to conditions or stimuli that would induce expression of the gene of interest; or (e) the subject plant or plant cell itself, under conditions in which the gene of interest is not expressed.

Fragments and variants of the disclosed polynucleotides and proteins encoded thereby are also provided. By “fragment” is intended a portion of the polynucleotide or a portion of the amino acid sequence and hence protein encoded thereby. Fragments of a polynucleotide may encode protein fragments that retain the biological activity of the native protein and hence influence male fertility; these fragments may be referred to herein as “active fragments.” Alternatively, fragments of a polynucleotide that are useful as hybridization probes or which are useful in constructs and strategies for down-regulation or targeted sequence modification generally do not encode protein fragments retaining biological activity, but may still influence male fertility. Thus, fragments of a nucleotide sequence may range from at least about 20 nucleotides, about 50 nucleotides, about 100 nucleotides, up to the full-length polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide disclosed herein.

A fragment of a polynucleotide that encodes a biologically active portion of a polypeptide that influences male fertility will encode at least 15, 25, 30, 50, 100, 150, or 200 contiguous amino acids, or up to the total number of amino acids present in a full-length polypeptide that influences male fertility (for example, SEQ ID NO: 3 or SEQ ID NO: 5). Fragments of a male-fertility polynucleotide that are useful as hybridization probes or PCR primers, or in a down-regulation construct or targeted-modification method generally need not encode a biologically active portion of a polypeptide but may influence male fertility.

Thus, a fragment of a male-fertility polynucleotide as disclosed herein may encode a biologically active portion of a male-fertility polypeptide, or it may be a fragment that can be used as a hybridization probe or PCR primer or in a downregulation construct or targeted-modification method using methods known in the art or disclosed below. A biologically active portion of a male-fertility polypeptide can be prepared by isolating a portion of one of the male-fertility polynucleotides disclosed herein, expressing the encoded portion of the male-fertility protein (e.g., by recombinant expression in vitro), and assessing the activity of the encoded portion of the male-fertility polypeptide. Polynucleotides that are fragments of a male-fertility polynucleotide comprise at least 16, 20, 50, 75, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 800, 900, 1000, 1200, 1400, 1600, 1800, 2000, 2200, 2400, 2600, 2800, 3000, 3200, 3400, 3600, 3800, or 4000 nucleotides, or up to the number of nucleotides present in a full-length male-fertility polynucleotide disclosed herein (e.g. SEQ ID NO:1 or 7).

“Variants” is intended to mean substantially similar sequences. For polynucleotides, a variant comprises a deletion and/or addition of one or more nucleotides at one or more sites within the native polynucleotide and/or a substitution of one or more nucleotides at one or more sites in the native polynucleotide. As used herein, a “native” or “wild type” polynucleotide or polypeptide comprises a naturally occurring nucleotide sequence or amino acid sequence, respectively. For polynucleotides, conservative variants include those sequences that, because of the degeneracy of the genetic code, encode the amino acid sequence of a male-fertility polypeptide disclosed herein. Naturally occurring allelic variants such as these can be identified with the use of well-known molecular biology techniques, as, for example, with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and hybridization techniques as outlined below. Variant polynucleotides also include synthetically derived polynucleotides, such as those generated, for example, by using site-directed mutagenesis, and which may encode a male-fertility polypeptide. Generally, variants of a particular polynucleotide disclosed herein will have at least about 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 86%, 87%, 88%, 89%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more sequence identity to that particular polynucleotide (e.g., SEQ ID NO:1, 2, 4, 7, or 9) as determined by sequence alignment programs and parameters described elsewhere herein or known in the art.

Variants of a particular polynucleotide disclosed herein (i.e., a reference polynucleotide) can also be evaluated by comparison of the percent sequence identity between the polypeptide encoded by a variant polynucleotide and the polypeptide encoded by the reference polynucleotide. Thus, for example, an isolated polynucleotide may encode a polypeptide with a given percent sequence identity to the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 3 or 5. Percent sequence identity between any two polypeptides can be calculated using sequence alignment programs and parameters described elsewhere herein. Where any given pair of polynucleotides disclosed herein is evaluated by comparison of the percent sequence identity shared by the two polypeptides they encode, the percent sequence identity between the two encoded polypeptides is at least about 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 86%, 87%, 88%, 89%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more sequence identity.

“Variant” protein is intended to mean a protein derived from the native protein by deletion or addition of one or more amino acids at one or more sites in the native protein and/or substitution of one or more amino acids at one or more sites in the native protein. Variant proteins disclosed herein are biologically active, that is they continue to possess biological activity of the native protein, that is, male fertility activity as described herein. Such variants may result from, for example, genetic polymorphism or human manipulation. Biologically active variants of a male-fertility protein disclosed herein will have at least about 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 86%, 87%, 88%, 89%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more sequence identity to the amino acid sequence for the native protein (e.g. SEQ ID NO: 3 or 5) as determined by sequence alignment programs and parameters described elsewhere herein or known in the art. A biologically active variant of a protein disclosed herein may differ from that protein by as few as 1-15 amino acid residues, as few as 1-10, such as 6-10, as few as 5, as few as 4, 3, 2, or even 1 amino acid residue.

The proteins disclosed herein may be altered in various ways including amino acid substitutions, deletions, truncations, and insertions. Methods for such manipulations are generally known in the art. For example, amino acid sequence variants and fragments of the male-fertility polypeptides can be prepared by mutations in the DNA. Methods for mutagenesis and polynucleotide alterations are well known in the art. See, for example, Kunkel (1985) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 82:488-492; Kunkel et al. (1987) Methods in Enzymol. 154:367-382; U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,192; Walker and Gaastra, eds. (1983) Techniques in Molecular Biology (MacMillan Publishing Company, New York) and the references cited therein. Guidance as to appropriate amino acid substitutions that do not affect biological activity of the protein of interest may be found in the model of Dayhoff et al. (1978) Atlas of Protein Sequence and Structure (Natl. Biomed. Res. Found., Washington, D.C.), herein incorporated by reference. Conservative substitutions, such as exchanging one amino acid with another having similar properties, may be optimal.

Thus, the genes and polynucleotides disclosed herein include both the naturally occurring sequences as well as DNA sequence variants. Likewise, the male-fertility polypeptides and proteins encompass both naturally occurring polypeptides as well as variations and modified forms thereof. Such polynucleotide and polypeptide variants may continue to possess the desired male-fertility activity, in which case the mutations that will be made in the DNA encoding the variant must not place the sequence out of reading frame and optimally will not create complementary regions that could produce secondary mRNA structure. See, EP Patent Application Publication No. 75,444.

Certain deletions, insertions, and substitutions of the protein sequences encompassed herein are not expected to produce radical changes in the characteristics of the protein. However, when it is difficult to predict the exact effect of the substitution, deletion, or insertion in advance of doing so, one skilled in the art will appreciate that the effect will be evaluated by routine screening assays. That is, the activity can be evaluated by assaying for male fertility activity.

Increases or decreases in male fertility can be assayed in a variety of ways. One of ordinary skill in the art can readily assess activity of the variant or fragment by introducing the polynucleotide into a plant homozygous for a stable male-sterile allele of the polynucleotide, and observing male tissue development in the plant. For example, to assay for male fertility activity conferred by fragments or variants of SEQ ID NO: 1, 2, 4, 7, or 9, one of skill in the art can begin by identifying a plant expressing the ms1 phenotype or by constructing a plant homozygous for a mutation in the native Ms1 gene, resulting in male sterility. Subsequently, one could complement the mutation by providing the Ms1 polynucleotide, or fragment or variant thereof, and observing whether the male tissues of the plant develop normally and are able to produce mature pollen.

Variant functional polynucleotides and proteins also encompass sequences and proteins derived from a mutagenic and recombinogenic procedure such as DNA shuffling. With such a procedure, one or more different male fertility sequences can be manipulated to create a new male-fertility polypeptide possessing desired properties. In this manner, libraries of recombinant polynucleotides are generated from a population of related sequence polynucleotides comprising sequence regions that have substantial sequence identity and can be homologously recombined in vitro or in vivo. For example, using this approach, sequence motifs encoding a domain of interest may be shuffled between the male-fertility polynucleotides disclosed herein and other known male-fertility polynucleotides to obtain a new gene coding for a protein with an improved property of interest, such as an increased K_(m) in the case of an enzyme. Strategies for such DNA shuffling are known in the art. See, for example, Stemmer (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:10747-10751; Stemmer (1994) Nature 370:389-391; Crameri et al. (1997) Nature Biotech. 15:436-438; Moore et al. (1997) J. Mol. Biol. 272:336-347; Zhang et al. (1997) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 94:4504-4509; Crameri et al. (1998) Nature 391:288-291; and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,605,793 and 5,837,458.

II. Sequence Analysis

As used herein, “sequence identity” or “identity” in the context of two polynucleotide or polypeptide sequences makes reference to the residues in the two sequences that are the same when aligned for maximum correspondence over a specified comparison window. When percentage of sequence identity is used in reference to proteins, it is recognized that residue positions which are not identical often differ by conservative amino acid substitutions, where amino acid residues are substituted for other amino acid residues with similar chemical properties (e.g., charge or hydrophobicity) and therefore do not change the functional properties of the molecule. When sequences differ in conservative substitutions, the percent sequence identity may be adjusted upwards to correct for the conservative nature of the substitution. Sequences that differ by such conservative substitutions are said to have “sequence similarity” or “similarity”. Means for making this adjustment are well known to those of skill in the art. Typically this involves scoring a conservative substitution as a partial rather than a full mismatch, thereby increasing the percentage sequence identity. Thus, for example, where an identical amino acid is given a score of 1 and a non-conservative substitution is given a score of zero, a conservative substitution is given a score between zero and 1. The scoring of conservative substitutions is calculated, e.g., as implemented in the program PC/GENE (Intelligenetics, Mountain View, Calif.).

As used herein, “percentage of sequence identity” means the value determined by comparing two optimally aligned sequences over a comparison window, wherein the portion of the polynucleotide sequence in the comparison window may comprise additions or deletions (i.e., gaps) as compared to the reference sequence (which does not comprise additions or deletions) for optimal alignment of the two sequences. The percentage is calculated by determining the number of positions at which the identical nucleic acid base or amino acid residue occurs in both sequences to yield the number of matched positions, dividing the number of matched positions by the total number of positions in the window of comparison, and multiplying the result by 100 to yield the percentage of sequence identity.

Unless otherwise stated, sequence identity/similarity values provided herein refer to the value obtained using GAP Version 10 using the following parameters: % identity and % similarity for a nucleotide sequence using GAP Weight of 50 and Length Weight of 3, and the nwsgapdna.cmp scoring matrix; % identity and % similarity for an amino acid sequence using GAP Weight of 8 and Length Weight of 2, and the BLOSUM62 scoring matrix; or any equivalent program thereof. By “equivalent program” is intended any sequence comparison program that, for any two sequences in question, generates an alignment having identical nucleotide or amino acid residue matches and an identical percent sequence identity when compared to the corresponding alignment generated by GAP Version 10.

The use of the term “polynucleotide” is not intended to limit the present disclosure to polynucleotides comprising DNA. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that polynucleotides can comprise ribonucleotides and combinations of ribonucleotides and deoxyribonucleotides. Such deoxyribonucleotides and ribonucleotides include both naturally occurring molecules and synthetic analogues. The polynucleotides disclosed herein also encompass all forms of sequences including, but not limited to, single-stranded forms, double-stranded forms, hairpins, stem-and-loop structures, and the like.

III. Expression Cassettes

A male-fertility polynucleotide disclosed herein can be provided in an expression cassette for expression in an organism of interest. The cassette can include 5′ and 3′ regulatory sequences operably linked to a male-fertility polynucleotide as disclosed herein. “Operably linked” is intended to mean a functional linkage between two or more elements. For example, an operable linkage between a polynucleotide of interest and a regulatory sequence (e.g., a promoter) is a functional link that allows for expression of the polynucleotide of interest. Operably linked elements may be contiguous or non-contiguous. When used to refer to the joining of two protein coding regions, by operably linked is intended that the coding regions are in the same reading frame.

The expression cassettes disclosed herein may include in the 5′-3′ direction of transcription, a transcriptional and translational initiation region (i.e., a promoter), a polynucleotide of interest, and a transcriptional and translational termination region (i.e., termination region) functional in the host cell (e.g., a plant cell). Expression cassettes are also provided with a plurality of restriction sites and/or recombination sites for insertion of the male-fertility polynucleotide to be under the transcriptional regulation of the regulatory regions described elsewhere herein. The regulatory regions (i.e., promoters, transcriptional regulatory regions, and translational termination regions) and/or the polynucleotide of interest may be native/analogous to the host cell or to each other. Alternatively, the regulatory regions and/or the polynucleotide of interest may be heterologous to the host cell or to each other. As used herein, “heterologous” in reference to a polynucleotide or polypeptide sequence is a sequence that originates from a foreign species, or, if from the same species, is substantially modified from its native form in composition and/or genomic locus by deliberate human intervention. For example, a promoter operably linked to a heterologous polynucleotide is from a species different from the species from which the polynucleotide was derived, or, if from the same/analogous species, one or both are substantially modified from their original form and/or genomic locus, or the promoter is not the native promoter for the operably linked polynucleotide. As used herein, unless otherwise specified, a chimeric polynucleotide comprises a coding sequence operably linked to a transcription initiation region that is heterologous to the coding sequence.

In certain embodiments the polynucleotides disclosed herein can be stacked with any combination of polynucleotide sequences of interest or expression cassettes as disclosed elsewhere herein or known in the art. For example, the male-fertility polynucleotides disclosed herein may be stacked with any other polynucleotides encoding male-gamete-disruptive polynucleotides or polypeptides, cytotoxins, markers, or other male fertility sequences as disclosed elsewhere herein or known in the art. The stacked polynucleotides may be operably linked to the same promoter as the male-fertility polynucleotide, or may be operably linked to a separate promoter polynucleotide.

As described elsewhere herein, expression cassettes may comprise a promoter operably linked to a polynucleotide of interest, along with a corresponding termination region. The termination region may be native to the transcriptional initiation region, may be native to the operably linked male-fertility polynucleotide of interest or to the male-fertility promoter sequences, may be native to the plant host, or may be derived from another source (i.e., foreign or heterologous). Convenient termination regions are available from the Ti-plasmid of A. tumefaciens, such as the octopine synthase and nopaline synthase termination regions. See also Guerineau et al. (1991) Mol. Gen. Genet. 262:141-144; Proudfoot (1991) Cell 64:671-674; Sanfacon et al. (1991) Genes Dev. 5:141-149; Mogen et al. (1990) Plant Cell 2:1261-1272; Munroe et al. (1990) Gene 91:151-158; Ballas et al. (1989) Nucleic Acids Res. 17:7891-7903; and Joshi et al. (1987) Nucleic Acids Res. 15:9627-9639.

Where appropriate, the polynucleotides of interest may be optimized for increased expression in the transformed plant. That is, the polynucleotides can be synthesized or altered to use plant-preferred codons for improved expression. See, for example, Campbell and Gowri (1990) Plant Physiol. 92:1-11 for a discussion of host-preferred codon usage. Methods are available in the art for synthesizing plant-preferred genes. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,380,831, and 5,436,391, and Murray et al. (1989) Nucleic Acids Res. 17:477-498, herein incorporated by reference.

Additional sequence modifications are known to enhance gene expression in a cellular host. These include elimination of sequences encoding spurious polyadenylation signals, exon-intron splice site signals, transposon-like repeats, and other such well-characterized sequences that may be deleterious to gene expression. The G-C content of the sequence may be adjusted to levels average for a given cellular host, as calculated by reference to known genes expressed in the host cell. When possible, the sequence is modified to avoid predicted hairpin secondary mRNA structures.

The expression cassettes may additionally contain 5′ leader sequences. Such leader sequences can act to enhance translation. Translation leaders are known in the art and include: picornavirus leaders, for example, EMCV leader (Encephalomyocarditis 5′ noncoding region) (Elroy-Stein et al. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:6126-6130); potyvirus leaders, for example, TEV leader (Tobacco Etch Virus) (Gallie et al. (1995) Gene 165(2):233-238), MDMV leader (Maize Dwarf Mosaic Virus) (Johnson et al. (1986) Virology 154:9-20), and human immunoglobulin heavy-chain binding protein (BiP) (Macejak et al. (1991) Nature 353:90-94); untranslated leader from the coat protein mRNA of alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV RNA 4) (Jobling et al. (1987) Nature 325:622-625); tobacco mosaic virus leader (TMV) (Gallie et al. (1989) in Molecular Biology of RNA, ed. Cech (Liss, New York), pp. 237-256); and maize chlorotic mottle virus leader (MCMV) (Lommel et al. (1991) Virology 81:382-385). See also, Della-Cioppa et al. (1987) Plant Physiol. 84:965-968. Other methods known to enhance translation can also be utilized, for example, introns, and the like.

In preparing the expression cassette, the various DNA fragments may be manipulated so as to provide for the DNA sequences in the proper orientation and, as appropriate, in the proper reading frame. Toward this end, adapters or linkers may be employed to join the DNA fragments or other manipulations may be involved to provide for convenient restriction sites, removal of superfluous DNA, removal of restriction sites, or the like. For this purpose, in vitro mutagenesis, primer repair, restriction, annealing, resubstitutions, e.g., transitions and transversions, may be involved.

In particular embodiments, the expression cassettes disclosed herein comprise a promoter operably linked to a male-fertility polynucleotide, or fragment or variant thereof, as disclosed herein. In certain embodiments, a male-fertility promoter is operably linked to a male-fertility polynucleotide disclosed herein, such as the male-fertility polynucleotide set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1, 2, 4, 7, or 9, or an active fragment or variant thereof.

In certain embodiments, plant promoters can preferentially initiate transcription in certain tissues, such as stamen, anther, filament, and pollen, or developmental growth stages, such as sporogenous tissue, microspores, and microgametophyte. Such plant promoters are referred to as “tissue-preferred,” “cell-type-preferred,” or “growth-stage preferred.” Promoters which initiate transcription only in certain tissue are referred to as “tissue-specific.” Likewise, promoters which initiate transcription only at certain growth stages are referred to as “growth-stage-specific.” A “cell-type-specific” promoter drives expression only in certain cell types in one or more organs, for example, stamen cells, or individual cell types within the stamen such as anther, filament, or pollen cells.

A “male-fertility promoter” may initiate transcription exclusively or preferentially in a cell or tissue involved in the process of microsporogenesis or microgametogenesis. Male-fertility polynucleotides disclosed herein, and active fragments and variants thereof, can be operably linked to male-tissue-specific or male-tissue-preferred promoters including, for example, stamen-specific or stamen-preferred promoters, anther-specific or anther-preferred promoters, pollen-specific or pollen-preferred promoters, tapetum-specific promoters or tapetum-preferred promoters, and the like. Promoters can be selected based on the desired outcome. For example, the polynucleotides of interest can be operably linked to constitutive, tissue-preferred, growth stage-preferred, or other promoters for expression in plants.

In one embodiment, the promoters may be those which express an operably-linked polynucleotide of interest exclusively or preferentially in the male tissues of the plant. No particular male-fertility tissue-preferred or tissue-specific promoter must be used in the process; and any of the many such promoters known to one skilled in the art may be employed. One such promoter is the 5126 promoter, which preferentially directs expression of the polynucleotide to which it is linked to male tissue of the plants, as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,837,851 and 5,689,051. Other examples include the maize Ms45 promoter described at U.S. Pat. No. 6,037,523; SF3 promoter described at U.S. Pat. No. 6,452,069; the BS92-7 promoter described at WO 02/063021; an SGB6 regulatory element described at U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,359; the TA29 promoter (Koltunow, et al., (1990) Plant Cell 2:1201-1224; Nature 347:737 (1990); Goldberg, et al., (1993) Plant Cell 5:1217-1229 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,399,856); an SB200 gene promoter (WO 2002/26789), a PG47 gene promoter (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,412,085; 5,545,546; Plant J 3(2):261-271 (1993)), a G9 gene promoter (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,837,850; 5,589,610); the type 2 metallothionein-like gene promoter (Charbonnel-Campaa, et al., Gene (2000) 254:199-208); the Brassica Bca9 promoter (Lee, et al., (2003) Plant Cell Rep. 22:268-273); the ZM13 promoter (Hamilton, et al., (1998) Plant Mol. Biol. 38:663-669); actin depolymerizing factor promoters (such as Zmabp1, Zmabp2; see, for example Lopez, et al., (1996) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 93:7415-7420); the promoter of the maize pectin methylesterase-like gene, ZmC5 (Wakeley, et al., (1998) Plant Mol. Biol. 37:187-192); the profilin gene promoter Zmprol (Kovar, et al., (2000) The Plant Cell 12:583-598); the sulphated pentapeptide phytosulphokine gene ZmPSK1 (Lorbiecke, et al., (2005) Journal of Experimental Botany 56(417):1805-1819); the promoter of the calmodulin binding protein Mpcbp (Reddy, et al., (2000) J. Biol. Chem. 275(45):35457-70).

As disclosed herein, constitutive promoters include, for example, the core promoter of the Rsyn7 promoter and other constitutive promoters disclosed in WO 99/43838 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,072,050; the core CaMV 35S promoter (Odell et al. (1985) Nature 313:810-812); rice actin (McElroy et al. (1990) Plant Cell 2:163-171); ubiquitin (Christensen et al. (1989) Plant Mol. Biol. 12:619-632 and Christensen et al. (1992) Plant Mol. Biol. 18:675-689); pEMU (Last et al. (1991) Theor. Appl. Genet. 81:581-588); MAS (Velten et al. (1984) EMBO J. 3:2723-2730); ALS promoter (U.S. Pat. No. 5,659,026), and the like. Other constitutive promoters include, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,608,149; 5,608,144; 5,604,121; 5,569,597; 5,466,785; 5,399,680; 5,268,463; 5,608,142; and 6,177,611.

“Seed-preferred” promoters include both those promoters active during seed development, such as promoters of seed storage proteins, as well as those promoters active during seed germination. See Thompson et al. (1989) BioEssays 10:108, herein incorporated by reference. Such seed-preferred promoters include, but are not limited to, Cim1 (cytokinin-induced message); cZ19B1 (maize 19 kDa zein); milps (myo-inositol-1-phosphate synthase) (see WO 00/11177 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,225,529; herein incorporated by reference). Gamma-zein is an endosperm-specific promoter. Globulin-1 (Glob-1) is a representative embryo-specific promoter. For dicots, seed-specific promoters include, but are not limited to, bean β-phaseolin, napin, β-conglycinin, soybean lectin, cruciferin, and the like. For monocots, seed-specific promoters include, but are not limited to, maize 15 kDa zein, 22 kDa zein, 27 kDa zein, gamma-zein, waxy, shrunken 1, shrunken 2, globulin 1, etc. See also WO 00/12733, where seed-preferred promoters from end1 and end2 genes are disclosed. Additional embryo specific promoters are disclosed in Sato et al. (1996) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 93:8117-8122; Nakase et al. (1997) Plant J 12:235-46; and Postma-Haarsma et al. (1999) Plant Mol. Biol. 39:257-71. Additional endosperm specific promoters are disclosed in Albani et al. (1984) EMBO 3:1405-15; Albani et al. (1999) Theor. Appl. Gen. 98:1253-62; Albani et al. (1993) Plant J. 4:343-55; Mena et al. (1998) The Plant Journal 116:53-62, and Wu et al. (1998) Plant Cell Physiology 39:885-889.

Dividing cell or meristematic tissue-preferred promoters have been disclosed in Ito et al. (1994) Plant Mol. Biol. 24:863-878; Reyad et al. (1995) Mo. Gen. Genet. 248:703-711; Shaul et al. (1996) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 93:4868-4872; Ito et al. (1997) Plant J. 11:983-992; and Trehin et al. (1997) Plant Mol. Biol. 35:667-672.

Stress inducible promoters include salt/water stress-inducible promoters such as P5CS (Zang et al. (1997) Plant Sciences 129:81-89); cold-inducible promoters, such as, cor15a (Hajela et al. (1990) Plant Physiol. 93:1246-1252), cor15b (Wlihelm et al. (1993) Plant Mol Biol 23:1073-1077), wsc120 (Ouellet et al. (1998) FEBS Lett. 423-324-328), ci7 (Kirch et al. (1997) Plant Mol Biol. 33:897-909), ci21A (Schneider et al. (1997) Plant Physiol. 113:335-45); drought-inducible promoters, such as, Trg-31 (Chaudhary et al (1996) Plant Mol. Biol. 30:1247-57), rd29 (Kasuga et al. (1999) Nature Biotechnology 18:287-291); osmotic inducible promoters, such as, Rab17 (Vilardell et al. (1991) Plant Mol. Biol. 17:985-93) and osmotin (Raghothama et al. (1993) Plant Mol Biol 23:1117-28); and, heat inducible promoters, such as, heat shock proteins (Barros et al. (1992) Plant Mol. 19:665-75; Marrs et al. (1993) Dev. Genet. 14:27-41), and smHSP (Waters et al. (1996) J. Experimental Botany 47:325-338). Other stress-inducible promoters include rip2 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,332,808 and U.S. Publication No. 2003/0217393) and rd29A (Yamaguchi-Shinozaki et al. (1993) Mol. Gen. Genetics 236:331-340).

As discussed elsewhere herein, the expression cassettes comprising male-fertility polynucleotides may be stacked with other polynucleotides of interest. Any polynucleotide of interest may be stacked with the male-fertility polynucleotide, including for example, male-gamete-disruptive polynucleotides and marker polynucleotides.

Male-fertility polynucleotides disclosed herein may be stacked in or with expression cassettes comprising a promoter operably linked to a polynucleotide which is male-gamete-disruptive; that is, a polynucleotide which interferes with the function, formation, or dispersal of male gametes. A male-gamete-disruptive polynucleotide can operate to prevent function, formation, or dispersal of male gametes by any of a variety of methods. By way of example but not limitation, this can include use of polynucleotides which encode a gene product such as DAM-methylase or barnase (See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,792,853 or 5,689,049; PCT/EP89/00495); encode a gene product which interferes with the accumulation of starch, degrades starch, or affects osmotic balance in pollen, such as alpha-amylase (See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,875,764; 8,013,218; 7,696,405, 8,614,367); inhibit formation of a gene product important to male gamete function, formation, or dispersal (See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,859,341; 6,297,426); encode a gene product which combines with another gene product to prevent male gamete formation or function (See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,162,964; 6,013,859; 6,281,348; 6,399,856; 6,248,935; 6,750,868; 5,792,853); are antisense to, or cause co-suppression of, a gene critical to male gamete function, formation, or dispersal (See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,184,439; 5,728,926; 6,191,343; 5,728,558; 5,741,684); interfere with expression of a male-fertility polynucleotide through use of hairpin formations (See, for example, Smith et al. (2000) Nature 407:319-320; WO 99/53050 and WO 98/53083) or the like.

Male-gamete-disruptive polynucleotides include dominant negative genes such as methylase genes and growth-inhibiting genes. See, U.S. Pat. No. 6,399,856. Dominant negative genes include diphtheria toxin A-chain gene (Czako and An (1991) Plant Physiol. 95 687-692; Greenfield et al. (1983) PNAS 80:6853); cell cycle division mutants such as CDC in maize (Colasanti et al. (1991) PNAS 88: 3377-3381); the WT gene (Farmer et al. (1994) Mol. Genet. 3:723-728); and P68 (Chen et al. (1991) PNAS 88:315-319).

Further examples of male-gamete-disruptive polynucleotides include, but are not limited to, pectate lyase gene pelE from Erwinia chrysanthermi (Kenn et al (1986) J. Bacteriol. 168:595); CytA toxin gene from Bacillus thuringiensis Israeliensis (McLean et al (1987) J. Bacteriol. 169:1017 (1987), U.S. Pat. No. 4,918,006); DNAses, RNAses, proteases, or polynucleotides expressing anti-sense RNA. A male-gamete-disruptive polynucleotide may encode a protein involved in inhibiting pollen-stigma interactions, pollen tube growth, fertilization, or a combination thereof.

Male-fertility polynucleotides disclosed herein may be stacked with expression cassettes disclosed herein comprising a promoter operably linked to a polynucleotide of interest encoding a reporter or marker product. Examples of suitable reporter polynucleotides known in the art can be found in, for example, Jefferson et al. (1991) in Plant Molecular Biology Manual, ed. Gelvin et al. (Kluwer Academic Publishers), pp. 1-33; DeWet et al. Mol. Cell. Biol. 7:725-737 (1987); Goff et al. EMBO J. 9:2517-2522 (1990); Kain et al. BioTechniques 19:650-655 (1995); and Chiu et al. Current Biology 6:325-330 (1996). In certain embodiments, the polynucleotide of interest encodes a selectable reporter. These can include polynucleotides that confer antibiotic resistance or resistance to herbicides. Examples of suitable selectable marker polynucleotides include, but are not limited to, genes encoding resistance to chloramphenicol, methotrexate, hygromycin, streptomycin, spectinomycin, bleomycin, sulfonamide, bromoxynil, glyphosate, and phosphinothricin.

In some embodiments, the expression cassettes disclosed herein comprise a polynucleotide of interest encoding scorable or screenable markers, where presence of the polynucleotide produces a measurable product. Examples include a β-glucuronidase, or uidA gene (GUS), which encodes an enzyme for which various chromogenic substrates are known (for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,268,463 and 5,599,670); chloramphenicol acetyl transferase, and alkaline phosphatase. Other screenable markers include the anthocyanin/flavonoid polynucleotides including, for example, a R-locus polynucleotide, which encodes a product that regulates the production of anthocyanin pigments (red color) in plant tissues, the genes which control biosynthesis of flavonoid pigments, such as the maize C1 and C2, the B gene, the p1 gene, and the bronze locus genes, among others. Further examples of suitable markers encoded by polynucleotides of interest include the cyan fluorescent protein (CYP) gene, the yellow fluorescent protein gene, a lux gene, which encodes a luciferase, the presence of which may be detected using, for example, X-ray film, scintillation counting, fluorescent spectrophotometry, low-light video cameras, photon counting cameras or multiwell luminometry, a green fluorescent protein (GFP), and DsRed2 (Clontech Laboratories, Inc., Mountain View, Calif.), where plant cells transformed with the marker gene fluoresce red in color, and thus are visually selectable. Additional examples include a p-lactamase gene encoding an enzyme for which various chromogenic substrates are known (e.g., PADAC, a chromogenic cephalosporin), a xylE gene encoding a catechol dioxygenase that can convert chromogenic catechols, and a tyrosinase gene encoding an enzyme capable of oxidizing tyrosine to DOPA and dopaquinone, which in turn condenses to form the easily detectable compound melanin.

The expression cassette can also comprise a selectable marker gene for the selection of transformed cells. Selectable marker genes are utilized for the selection of transformed cells or tissues. Marker genes include genes encoding antibiotic resistance, such as those encoding neomycin phosphotransferase II (NEO) and hygromycin phosphotransferase (HPT), as well as genes conferring resistance to herbicidal compounds, such as glufosinate ammonium, bromoxynil, imidazolinones, and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetate (2,4-D). Additional selectable markers include phenotypic markers such as β-galactosidase and fluorescent proteins such as green fluorescent protein (GFP) (Su et al. (2004) Biotechnol Bioeng 85:610-9 and Fetter et al. (2004) Plant Cell 16:215-28), cyan florescent protein (CYP) (Bolte et al. (2004) J. Cell Science 117:943-54 and Kato et al. (2002) Plant Physiol 129:913-42), and yellow florescent protein (PhiYFP™ from Evrogen, see, Bolte et al. (2004) J. Cell Science 117:943-54). For additional selectable markers, see generally, Yarranton (1992) Curr. Opin. Biotech. 3:506-511; Christopherson et al. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:6314-6318; Yao et al. (1992) Cell 71:63-72; Reznikoff (1992) Mol. Microbiol. 6:2419-2422; Barkley et al. (1980) in The Operon, pp. 177-220; Hu et al. (1987) Cell 48:555-566; Brown et al. (1987) Cell 49:603-612; Figge et al. (1988) Cell 52:713-722; Deuschle et al. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Aci. USA 86:5400-5404; Fuerst et al. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:2549-2553; Deuschle et al. (1990) Science 248:480-483; Gossen (1993) Ph.D. Thesis, University of Heidelberg; Reines et al. (1993) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90:1917-1921; Labow et al. (1990) Mol. Cell. Biol. 10:3343-3356; Zambretti et al. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:3952-3956; Baim et al. (1991) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88:5072-5076; Wyborski et al. (1991) Nucleic Acids Res. 19:4647-4653; Hillenand-Wissman (1989) Topics Mol. Struc. Biol. 10:143-162; Degenkolb et al. (1991) Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 35:1591-1595; Kleinschnidt et al. (1988) Biochemistry 27:1094-1104; Bonin (1993) Ph.D. Thesis, University of Heidelberg; Gossen et al. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:5547-5551; Oliva et al. (1992) Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 36:913-919; Hlavka et al. (1985) Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology, Vol. 78 (Springer-Verlag, Berlin); Gill et al. (1988) Nature 334:721-724. Such disclosures are herein incorporated by reference. The above list of selectable marker genes is not meant to be limiting. Any selectable marker gene can be used in the compositions and methods disclosed herein.

In some embodiments, the expression cassettes disclosed herein comprise a first polynucleotide of interest encoding a male-fertility polynucleotide operably linked to a first promoter polynucleotide, stacked with a second polynucleotide of interest encoding a male-gamete-disruptive gene product operably linked to a male-tissue-preferred promoter polynucleotide. In certain embodiments, the expression cassettes described herein may also be stacked with a third polynucleotide of interest encoding a marker polynucleotide operably linked to a promoter polynucleotide.

In specific embodiments, the expression cassettes disclosed herein comprise a first polynucleotide of interest encoding a male fertility gene disclosed herein, such as wheat or barley Ms1 operably linked to a constitutive promoter, such as the cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promoter. The expression cassettes may further comprise a second polynucleotide of interest encoding a male-gamete-disruptive gene product operably linked to a male-tissue-preferred promoter. In certain embodiments, the expression cassettes disclosed herein may further comprise a third polynucleotide of interest encoding a marker gene, such as the phosphinothricin acetyltransferase (PAT) gene from Streptomyces viridochomagenes operably linked to a constitutive promoter, such as the cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promoter.

IV. Plants

A. Plants Having Altered Levels/Activity of Male-Fertility Polypeptide

Further provided are plants having altered levels and/or activities of a male-fertility polypeptide and/or altered levels of male fertility. In some embodiments, the plants disclosed herein have stably incorporated into their genomes a heterologous male-fertility polynucleotide, or an active fragment or variant thereof, as disclosed herein. Thus, plants, plant cells, plant parts, and seeds are provided which comprise at least one heterologous male-fertility polynucleotide as set forth in any one of SEQ ID NO: 1, 2, 4, 7, or 9, or any active fragments or variants thereof.

Plants are further provided comprising the expression cassettes disclosed herein comprising a male-fertility polynucleotide operably linked to a promoter that is active in the plant. In some embodiments, expression of the male-fertility polynucleotide modulates male fertility of the plant. In certain embodiments, expression of the male-fertility polynucleotide increases male fertility of the plant. For example, plants are provided comprising an expression cassette comprising an Ms1 polynucleotide as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1, 2, 4, 7, or 9, or an active fragment or variant thereof, operably linked to a constitutive promoter, such as the CaMV 35S promoter. Upon expression of the Ms1 polynucleotide, male fertility of the plant is increased.

In certain embodiments, expression cassettes comprising a heterologous male-fertility polynucleotide as disclosed herein, or an active fragment or variant thereof, operably linked to a promoter active in a plant, are provided to a male-sterile plant. Upon expression of the heterologous male-fertility polynucleotide, male fertility is conferred; this may be referred to as restoring the male fertility of the plant. In specific embodiments, the plants disclosed herein comprise an expression cassette comprising a heterologous male-fertility polynucleotide as disclosed herein, or an active fragment or variant thereof, operably linked to a promoter, stacked with one or more expression cassettes comprising a polynucleotide of interest operably linked to a promoter active in the plant. For example, the stacked polynucleotide of interest can comprise a male-gamete-disruptive polynucleotide and/or a marker polynucleotide.

Plants disclosed herein may also comprise stacked expression cassettes described herein comprising at least two polynucleotides such that the at least two polynucleotides are inherited together in more than 50% of meioses, i.e., not randomly. Accordingly, when a plant or plant cell comprising stacked expression cassettes with two polynucleotides undergoes meiosis, the two polynucleotides segregate into the same progeny (daughter) cell. In this manner, stacked polynucleotides will likely be expressed together in any cell for which they are present. For example, a plant may comprise an expression cassette comprising a male-fertility polynucleotide stacked with an expression cassette comprising a male-gamete-disruptive polynucleotide such that the male-fertility polynucleotide and the male-gamete-disruptive polynucleotide are inherited together. Specifically, a male sterile plant could comprise an expression cassette comprising a male-fertility polynucleotide disclosed herein operably linked to a constitutive promoter, stacked with an expression cassette comprising a male-gamete-disruptive polynucleotide operably linked to a male-tissue-preferred promoter, such that the plant produces mature pollen grains. However, in such a plant, development of pollen comprising the male-fertility polynucleotide will be inhibited by expression of the male-gamete-disruptive polynucleotide.

B. Plants and Methods of Introduction

As used herein, the term plant includes plant cells, plant protoplasts, plant cell tissue cultures from which a plant can be regenerated, plant calli, plant clumps, and plant cells that are intact in plants or parts of plants such as embryos, pollen, ovules, seeds, leaves, flowers, branches, fruit, kernels, ears, cobs, husks, stalks, roots, root tips, anthers, grain and the like. As used herein, by “grain” is intended the mature seed produced by commercial growers for purposes other than growing or reproducing the species. Progeny, variants, and mutants of the regenerated plants are also included within the scope of the disclosure, provided that these parts comprise the introduced nucleic acid sequences.

The methods disclosed herein comprise introducing a polypeptide or polynucleotide into a plant cell. “Introducing” is intended to mean presenting to the plant the polynucleotide or polypeptide in such a manner that the sequence gains access to the interior of a cell. The methods disclosed herein do not depend on a particular method for introducing a sequence into the host cell, only that the polynucleotide or polypeptides gains access to the interior of at least one cell of the host. Methods for introducing polynucleotide or polypeptides into host cells (i.e., plants) are known in the art and include, but are not limited to, stable transformation methods, transient transformation methods, and virus-mediated methods.

“Stable transformation” is intended to mean that the nucleotide construct introduced into a host (i.e., a plant) integrates into the genome of the plant and is capable of being inherited by the progeny thereof “Transient transformation” is intended to mean that a polynucleotide or polypeptide is introduced into the host (i.e., a plant) and expressed temporally.

Transformation protocols as well as protocols for introducing polypeptides or polynucleotide sequences into plants may vary depending on the type of plant or plant cell, e.g., monocot or dicot, targeted for transformation. Suitable methods of introducing polypeptides and polynucleotides into plant cells include microinjection (Crossway et al. (1986) Biotechniques 4:320-334), electroporation (Riggs et al. (1986) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 83:5602-5606, Agrobacterium-mediated transformation (Townsend et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,563,055; Zhao et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,981,840), direct gene transfer (Paszkowski et al. (1984) EMBO J. 3:2717-2722), and ballistic particle acceleration (see, for example, Sanford et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,050; Tomes et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,879,918; Tomes et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,886,244; Bidney et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,932,782; Tomes et al. (1995) “Direct DNA Transfer into Intact Plant Cells via Microprojectile Bombardment,” in Plant Cell, Tissue, and Organ Culture: Fundamental Methods, ed. Gamborg and Phillips (Springer-Verlag, Berlin); McCabe et al. (1988) Biotechnology 6:923-926); and Lec1 transformation (WO 00/28058). Also see Weissinger et al. (1988) Ann. Rev. Genet. 22:421-477; Sanford et al. (1987) Particulate Science and Technology 5:27-37 (onion); Christou et al. (1988) Plant Physiol. 87:671-674 (soybean); McCabe et al. (1988) Bio/Technology 6:923-926 (soybean); Finer and McMullen (1991) In Vitro Cell Dev. Biol. 27P:175-182 (soybean); Singh et al. (1998) Theor. Appl. Genet. 96:319-324 (soybean); Datta et al. (1990) Biotechnology 8:736-740 (rice); Klein et al. (1988) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:4305-4309 (maize); Klein et al. (1988) Biotechnology 6:559-563 (maize); Tomes, U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,855; Buising et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,322,783 and 5,324,646; Tomes et al. (1995) “Direct DNA Transfer into Intact Plant Cells via Microprojectile Bombardment,” in Plant Cell, Tissue, and Organ Culture: Fundamental Methods, ed. Gamborg (Springer-Verlag, Berlin) (maize); Klein et al. (1988) Plant Physiol. 91:440-444 (maize); Fromm et al. (1990) Biotechnology 8:833-839 (maize); Hooykaas-Van Slogteren et al. (1984) Nature (London) 311:763-764; Bowen et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,736,369 (cereals); Bytebier et al. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:5345-5349 (Liliaceae); De Wet et al. (1985) in The Experimental Manipulation of Ovule Tissues, ed. Chapman et al. (Longman, New York), pp. 197-209 (pollen); Kaeppler et al. (1990) Plant Cell Reports 9:415-418 and Kaeppler et al. (1992) Theor. Appl. Genet. 84:560-566 (whisker-mediated transformation); D'Halluin et al. (1992) Plant Cell 4:1495-1505 (electroporation); Li et al. (1993) Plant Cell Reports 12:250-255 and Christou and Ford (1995) Annals of Botany 75:407-413 (rice); Osjoda et al. (1996) Nature Biotechnology 14:745-750 (maize via Agrobacterium tumefaciens); all of which are herein incorporated by reference.

In specific embodiments, the male-fertility polynucleotides or expression cassettes disclosed herein can be provided to a plant using a variety of transient transformation methods. Such transient transformation methods include, but are not limited to, the introduction of the male-fertility polypeptide or variants and fragments thereof directly into the plant or the introduction of a male fertility transcript into the plant. Such methods include, for example, microinjection or particle bombardment. See, for example, Crossway et al. (1986) Mol Gen. Genet. 202:179-185; Nomura et al. (1986) Plant Sci. 44:53-58; Hepler et al. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 91: 2176-2180 and Hush et al. (1994) The Journal of Cell Science 107:775-784, all of which are herein incorporated by reference. Alternatively, the male-fertility polynucleotide or expression cassettes disclosed herein can be transiently transformed into the plant using techniques known in the art. Such techniques include viral vector system and the precipitation of the polynucleotide in a manner that precludes subsequent release of the DNA. Thus, the transcription from the particle-bound DNA can occur, but the frequency with which it is released to become integrated into the genome is greatly reduced. Such methods include the use of particles coated with polyethylimine (PEI; Sigma #P3143).

In other embodiments, the male-fertility polynucleotides or expression cassettes disclosed herein may be introduced into plants by contacting plants with a virus or viral nucleic acids. Generally, such methods involve incorporating a nucleotide construct disclosed herein within a viral DNA or RNA molecule. It is recognized that a male fertility sequence disclosed herein may be initially synthesized as part of a viral polyprotein, which later may be processed by proteolysis in vivo or in vitro to produce the desired recombinant protein. Methods for introducing polynucleotides into plants and expressing a protein encoded therein, involving viral DNA or RNA molecules, are known in the art. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,889,191, 5,889,190, 5,866,785, 5,589,367, 5,316,931, and Porta et al. (1996) Molecular Biotechnology 5:209-221; herein incorporated by reference.

Methods are known in the art for the targeted insertion of a polynucleotide at a specific location in the plant genome. In one embodiment, the insertion of the polynucleotide at a desired genomic location is achieved using a site-specific recombination system. See, for example, WO99/25821, WO99/25854, WO99/25840, WO99/25855, and WO99/25853, all of which are herein incorporated by reference. Briefly, a polynucleotide disclosed herein can be contained in a transfer cassette flanked by two non-identical recombination sites. The transfer cassette is introduced into a plant having stably incorporated into its genome a target site which is flanked by two non-identical recombination sites that correspond to the sites of the transfer cassette. An appropriate recombinase is provided and the transfer cassette is integrated at the target site. The polynucleotide of interest is thereby integrated at a specific chromosomal position in the plant genome.

The cells that have been transformed may be grown into plants in accordance with conventional ways. See, for example, McCormick et al. (1986) Plant Cell Reports 5:81-84. These plants may then be pollinated with either the same transformed strain or a different strain, and the resulting progeny having desired expression of the desired phenotypic characteristic identified. Two or more generations may be grown to ensure that expression of the desired phenotypic characteristic is stably maintained and inherited and then seeds harvested to ensure expression of the desired phenotypic characteristic has been achieved. In this manner, the present disclosure provides transformed seed (also referred to as “transgenic seed”) having a male-fertility polynucleotide disclosed herein, for example, an expression cassette disclosed herein, stably incorporated into their genome.

The terms “target site”, “target sequence”, “target DNA”, “target locus”, “genomic target site”, “genomic target sequence”, and “genomic target locus” are used interchangeably herein and refer to a polynucleotide sequence in the genome (including chloroplast and mitochondrial DNA) of a cell at which a double-strand break is induced in the cell genome. The target site can be an endogenous site in the genome of a cell or organism, or alternatively, the target site can be heterologous to the cell or organism and thereby not be naturally occurring in the genome, or the target site can be found in a heterologous genomic location compared to where it occurs in nature. As used herein, terms “endogenous target sequence” and “native target sequence” are used interchangeably herein to refer to a target sequence that is endogenous or native to the genome of a cell or organism and is at the endogenous or native position of that target sequence in the genome of a cell or organism. Cells include plant cells as well as plants and seeds produced by the methods described herein.

In one embodiments, the target site, in association with the particular gene editing system that is being used, can be similar to a DNA recognition site or target site that is specifically recognized and/or bound by a double-strand-break-inducing agent, such as but not limited to a Zinc Finger endonuclease, a meganuclease, a TALEN endonuclease, a CRISPR-Cas guideRNA or other polynucleotide guided double strand break reagent.

The terms “artificial target site” and “artificial target sequence” are used interchangeably herein and refer to a target sequence that has been introduced into the genome of a cell or organism. Such an artificial target sequence can be identical in sequence to an endogenous or native target sequence in the genome of a cell but be located in a different position (i.e., a non-endogenous or non-native position) in the genome of a cell or organism.

The terms “altered target site”, “altered target sequence”, “modified target site”, and “modified target sequence” are used interchangeably herein and refer to a target sequence as disclosed herein that comprises at least one alteration when compared to non-altered target sequence. Such “alterations” include, for example: (i) replacement of at least one nucleotide, (ii) a deletion of at least one nucleotide, (iii) an insertion of at least one nucleotide, or (iv) any combination of (i)-(iii).

Certain embodiments comprise polynucleotides disclosed herein which are modified using endonucleases. Endonucleases are enzymes that cleave the phosphodiester bond within a polynucleotide chain, and include restriction endonucleases that cleave DNA at specific sites without damaging the bases. Restriction endonucleases include Type I, Type II, Type III, and Type IV endonucleases, which further include subtypes. In the Type I and Type III systems, both the methylase and restriction activities are contained in a single complex.

Endonucleases also include meganucleases, also known as homing endonucleases (HEases). Like restriction endonucleases, HEases bind and cut at a specific recognition site. However, the recognition sites for meganucleases are typically longer, about 18 bp or more. (See patent publication WO2012/129373 filed on Mar. 22, 2012). Meganucleases have been classified into four families based on conserved sequence motifs (Belfort M, and Perlman P S J. Biol. Chem. 1995; 270:30237-30240). These motifs participate in the coordination of metal ions and hydrolysis of phosphodiester bonds. HEases are notable for their long recognition sites, and for tolerating some sequence polymorphisms in their DNA substrates.

The naming convention for meganucleases is similar to the convention for other restriction endonuclease. Meganucleases are also characterized by prefix F-, I-, or PI- for enzymes encoded by free-standing ORFs, introns, and inteins, respectively. One step in the recombination process involves polynucleotide cleavage at or near the recognition site. This cleaving activity can be used to produce a double-strand break. For reviews of site-specific recombinases and their recognition sites, see, Sauer (1994) Curr. Op. Biotechnol. 5:521-7; and Sadowski (1993) FASEB 7:760-7. In some examples the recombinase is from the Integrase or Resolvase families.

TAL effector nucleases are a class of sequence-specific nucleases that can be used to make double-strand breaks at specific target sequences in the genome of a plant or other organism. (Miller et al. (2011) Nature Biotechnology 29:143-148). Zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs) are engineered double-strand-break-inducing agents comprised of a zinc finger DNA binding domain and a double-strand-break-inducing agent domain. Recognition site specificity is conferred by the zinc finger domain, which typically comprises two, three, or four zinc fingers, for example having a C2H2 structure; however other zinc finger structures are known and have been engineered. Zinc finger domains are amenable for designing polypeptides which specifically bind a selected polynucleotide recognition sequence. ZFNs include engineered DNA-binding zinc finger domain linked to a non-specific endonuclease domain, for example nuclease domain from a Type IIs endonuclease such as FokI. Additional functionalities can be fused to the zinc-finger binding domain, including transcriptional activator domains, transcription repressor domains, and methylases. In some examples, dimerization of nuclease domain is required for cleavage activity. Each zinc finger recognizes three consecutive base pairs in the target DNA. For example, a 3-finger domain recognizes a sequence of 9 contiguous nucleotides; with a dimerization requirement of the nuclease, two sets of zinc finger triplets are used to bind an 18-nucleotide recognition sequence.

CRISPR loci (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) (also known as SPIDRs—SPacer Interspersed Direct Repeats) constitute a family of recently described DNA loci. CRISPR loci consist of short and highly conserved DNA repeats (typically 24 to 40 bp, repeated from 1 to 140 times—also referred to as CRISPR-repeats) which are partially palindromic. The repeated sequences (usually specific to a species) are interspaced by variable sequences of constant length (typically 20 to 58 by depending on the CRISPR locus (WO2007/025097 published Mar. 1, 2007).

CRISPR loci were first recognized in E. coli (Ishino et al. (1987) J. Bacterial. 169:5429-5433; Nakata et al. (1989) J. Bacterial. 171:3553-3556). Similar interspersed short sequence repeats have been identified in Haloferax mediterranei, Streptococcus pyogenes, Anabaena, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Groenen et al. (1993) Mol. Microbiol. 10:1057-1065; Hoe et al. (1999) Emerg. Infect. Dis. 5:254-263; Masepohl et al. (1996) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1307:26-30; Mojica et al. (1995) Mol. Microbiol. 17:85-93). The CRISPR loci differ from other SSRs by the structure of the repeats, which have been termed short regularly spaced repeats (SRSRs) (Janssen et al. (2002) OMICS J. Integ. Biol. 6:23-33; Mojica et al. (2000) Mol. Microbiol. 36:244-246). The repeats are short elements that occur in clusters, that are always regularly spaced by variable sequences of constant length (Mojica et al. (2000) Mol. Microbiol. 36:244-246).

Cas gene relates to a gene that is generally coupled, associated or close to or in the vicinity of flanking CRISPR loci. The terms “Cas gene”, “CRISPR-associated (Cas) gene” are used interchangeably herein. A comprehensive review of the Cas protein family is presented in Haft et al. (2005) Computational Biology, PLoS Comput Biol 1(6): e60. doi:10.1371/journal.pcbi.0010060. As described therein, 41 CRISPR-associated (Cas) gene families are described, in addition to the four previously known gene families. It shows that CRISPR systems belong to different classes, with different repeat patterns, sets of genes, and species ranges. The number of Cas genes at a given CRISPR locus can vary between species.

Cas endonuclease relates to a Cas protein encoded by a Cas gene, wherein said Cas protein is capable of introducing a double strand break into a DNA target sequence. The Cas endonuclease is guided by a guide polynucleotide to recognize and optionally introduce a double strand break at a specific target site into the genome of a cell (U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/023,239, filed Jul. 11, 2014). The guide polynucleotide/Cas endonuclease system includes a complex of a Cas endonuclease and a guide polynucleotide that is capable of introducing a double strand break into a DNA target sequence. The Cas endonuclease unwinds the DNA duplex in close proximity of the genomic target site and cleaves both DNA strands upon recognition of a target sequence by a guide RNA if a correct protospacer-adjacent motif (PAM) is approximately oriented at the 3′ end of the target sequence.

The Cas endonuclease gene can be Cas9 endonuclease, or a functional fragment thereof, such as but not limited to, Cas9 genes listed in SEQ ID NOs: 462, 474, 489, 494, 499, 505, and 518 of WO2007/025097 published Mar. 1, 2007. The Cas endonuclease gene can be a plant, maize or soybean optimized Cas9 endonuclease, such as but not limited to a plant codon optimized Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 gene that can recognize any genomic sequence of the form N(12-30)NGG. The Cas endonuclease can be introduced directly into a cell by any method known in the art, for example, but not limited to transient introduction methods, transfection and/or topical application.

As used herein, the term “guide RNA” relates to a synthetic fusion of two RNA molecules, a crRNA (CRISPR RNA) comprising a variable targeting domain, and a tracrRNA. In one embodiment, the guide RNA comprises a variable targeting domain of 12 to 30 nucleotide sequences and a RNA fragment that can interact with a Cas endonuclease.

As used herein, the term “guide polynucleotide”, relates to a polynucleotide sequence that can form a complex with a Cas endonuclease and enables the Cas endonuclease to recognize and optionally cleave a DNA target site (U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/023,239, filed Jul. 11, 2014). The guide polynucleotide can be a single molecule or a double molecule. The guide polynucleotide sequence can be a RNA sequence, a DNA sequence, or a combination thereof (a RNA-DNA combination sequence). Optionally, the guide polynucleotide can comprise at least one nucleotide, phosphodiester bond or linkage modification such as, but not limited, to Locked Nucleic Acid (LNA), 5-methyl dC, 2,6-Diaminopurine, 2′-Fluoro A, 2′-Fluoro U, 2′-O-Methyl RNA, phosphorothioate bond, linkage to a cholesterol molecule, linkage to a polyethylene glycol molecule, linkage to a spacer 18 (hexaethylene glycol chain) molecule, or 5′ to 3′ covalent linkage resulting in circularization. A guide polynucleotide that solely comprises ribonucleic acids is also referred to as a “guide RNA”.

The guide polynucleotide can be a double molecule (also referred to as duplex guide polynucleotide) comprising a first nucleotide sequence domain (referred to as Variable Targeting domain or VT domain) that is complementary to a nucleotide sequence in a target DNA and a second nucleotide sequence domain (referred to as Cas endonuclease recognition domain or CER domain) that interacts with a Cas endonuclease polypeptide. The CER domain of the double molecule guide polynucleotide comprises two separate molecules that are hybridized along a region of complementarity. The two separate molecules can be RNA, DNA, and/or RNA-DNA-combination sequences. In some embodiments, the first molecule of the duplex guide polynucleotide comprising a VT domain linked to a CER domain is referred to as “crDNA” (when composed of a contiguous stretch of DNA nucleotides) or “crRNA” (when composed of a contiguous stretch of RNA nucleotides), or “crDNA-RNA” (when composed of a combination of DNA and RNA nucleotides). The crNucleotide can comprise a fragment of the cRNA naturally occurring in Bacteria and Archaea. In one embodiment, the size of the fragment of the cRNA naturally occurring in Bacteria and Archaea that is present in a crNucleotide disclosed herein can range from, but is not limited to, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 or more nucleotides. In some embodiments the second molecule of the duplex guide polynucleotide comprising a CER domain is referred to as “tracrRNA” (when composed of a contiguous stretch of RNA nucleotides) or “tracrDNA” (when composed of a contiguous stretch of DNA nucleotides) or “tracrDNA-RNA” (when composed of a combination of DNA and RNA nucleotides In one embodiment, the RNA that guides the RNA/Cas9 endonuclease complex, is a duplexed RNA comprising a duplex crRNA-tracrRNA.

The guide polynucleotide can also be a single molecule comprising a first nucleotide sequence domain (referred to as Variable Targeting domain or VT domain) that is complementary to a nucleotide sequence in a target DNA and a second nucleotide domain (referred to as Cas endonuclease recognition domain or CER domain) that interacts with a Cas endonuclease polypeptide. By “domain” it is meant a contiguous stretch of nucleotides that can be RNA, DNA, and/or RNA-DNA-combination sequence. The VT domain and/or the CER domain of a single guide polynucleotide can comprise a RNA sequence, a DNA sequence, or a RNA-DNA-combination sequence. In some embodiments the single guide polynucleotide comprises a crNucleotide (comprising a VT domain linked to a CER domain) linked to a tracrNucleotide (comprising a CER domain), wherein the linkage is a nucleotide sequence comprising a RNA sequence, a DNA sequence, or a RNA-DNA combination sequence. The single guide polynucleotide being comprised of sequences from the crNucleotide and tracrNucleotide may be referred to as “single guide RNA” (when composed of a contiguous stretch of RNA nucleotides) or “single guide DNA” (when composed of a contiguous stretch of DNA nucleotides) or “single guide RNA-DNA” (when composed of a combination of RNA and DNA nucleotides). In one embodiment of the disclosure, the single guide RNA comprises a cRNA or cRNA fragment and a tracrRNA or tracrRNA fragment of the type II/Cas system that can form a complex with a type II Cas endonuclease, wherein said guide RNA/Cas endonuclease complex can direct the Cas endonuclease to a plant genomic target site, enabling the Cas endonuclease to introduce a double strand break into the genomic target site. One aspect of using a single guide polynucleotide versus a duplex guide polynucleotide is that only one expression cassette needs to be made to express the single guide polynucleotide.

The term “variable targeting domain” or “VT domain” is used interchangeably herein and includes a nucleotide sequence that is complementary to one strand (nucleotide sequence) of a double strand DNA target site. The % complementation between the first nucleotide sequence domain (VT domain) and the target sequence can be at least 50%, 51%, 52%, 53%, 54%, 55%, 56%, 57%, 58%, 59%, 60%, 61%, 62%, 63%, 63%, 65%, 66%, 67%, 68%, 69%, 70%, 71%, 72%, 73%, 74%, 75%, 76%, 77%, 78%, 79%, 80%, 81%, 82%, 83%, 84%, 85%, 86%, 87%, 88%, 89%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or 100%. The variable target domain can be at least 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 or 30 nucleotides in length. In some embodiments, the variable targeting domain comprises a contiguous stretch of 12 to 30 nucleotides. The variable targeting domain can be composed of a DNA sequence, a RNA sequence, a modified DNA sequence, a modified RNA sequence, or any combination thereof.

The term “Cas endonuclease recognition domain” or “CER domain” of a guide polynucleotide is used interchangeably herein and includes a nucleotide sequence (such as a second nucleotide sequence domain of a guide polynucleotide), that interacts with a Cas endonuclease polypeptide. The CER domain can be composed of a DNA sequence, a RNA sequence, a modified DNA sequence, a modified RNA sequence (see for example modifications described herein), or any combination thereof.

The nucleotide sequence linking the crNucleotide and the tracrNucleotide of a single guide polynucleotide can comprise a RNA sequence, a DNA sequence, or a RNA-DNA combination sequence. In one embodiment, the nucleotide sequence linking the crNucleotide and the tracrNucleotide of a single guide polynucleotide can be at least 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99 or 100 nucleotides in length. In another embodiment, the nucleotide sequence linking the crNucleotide and the tracrNucleotide of a single guide polynucleotide can comprise a tetraloop sequence, such as, but not limiting to a GAAA tetraloop sequence.

Nucleotide sequence modification of the guide polynucleotide, VT domain and/or CER domain can be selected from, but not limited to, the group consisting of a 5′ cap, a 3′ polyadenylated tail, a riboswitch sequence, a stability control sequence, a sequence that forms a dsRNA duplex, a modification or sequence that targets the guide poly nucleotide to a subcellular location, a modification or sequence that provides for tracking, a modification or sequence that provides a binding site for proteins, a Locked Nucleic Acid (LNA), a 5-methyl dC nucleotide, a 2,6-Diaminopurine nucleotide, a 2′-Fluoro A nucleotide, a 2′-Fluoro U nucleotide; a 2′-O-Methyl RNA nucleotide, a phosphorothioate bond, linkage to a cholesterol molecule, linkage to a polyethylene glycol molecule, linkage to a spacer 18 molecule, a 5′ to 3′ covalent linkage, or any combination thereof. These modifications can result in at least one additional beneficial feature, wherein the additional beneficial feature is selected from the group of a modified or regulated stability, a subcellular targeting, tracking, a fluorescent label, a binding site for a protein or protein complex, modified binding affinity to complementary target sequence, modified resistance to cellular degradation, and increased cellular permeability.

In certain embodiments the nucleotide sequence to be modified can be a regulatory sequence such as a promoter, wherein the editing of the promoter comprises replacing the promoter (also referred to as a “promoter swap” or “promoter replacement”) or promoter fragment with a different promoter (also referred to as replacement promoter) or promoter fragment (also referred to as replacement promoter fragment), wherein the promoter replacement results in any one of the following or any combination of the following: an increased promoter activity, an increased promoter tissue specificity, a decreased promoter activity, a decreased promoter tissue specificity, a new promoter activity, an inducible promoter activity, an extended window of gene expression, a modification of the timing or developmental progress of gene expression in the same cell layer or other cell layer (such as but not limiting to extending the timing of gene expression in the tapetum of maize anthers; see e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 5,837,850 issued Nov. 17, 1998), a mutation of DNA binding elements and/or deletion or addition of DNA binding elements. The promoter (or promoter fragment) to be modified can be a promoter (or promoter fragment) that is endogenous, artificial, pre-existing, or transgenic to the cell that is being edited. The replacement promoter (or replacement promoter fragment) can be a promoter (or promoter fragment) that is endogenous, artificial, pre-existing, or transgenic to the cell that is being edited.

Promoter elements to be inserted can be, but are not limited to, promoter core elements (such as, but not limited to, a CAAT box, a CCAAT box, a Pribnow box, a and/or TATA box, translational regulation sequences and/or a repressor system for inducible expression (such as TET operator repressor/operator/inducer elements, or SulphonylUrea (Su) repressor/operator/inducer elements. The dehydration-responsive element (DRE) was first identified as a cis-acting promoter element in the promoter of the drought-responsive gene rd29A, which contains a 9 bp conserved core sequence, TACCGACAT (Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, K, and Shinozaki, K. (1994) Plant Cell 6, 251-264). Insertion of DRE into an endogenous promoter may confer a drought inducible expression of the downstream gene. Another example is ABA-responsive elements (ABREs) which contain a (C/T)ACGTGGC consensus sequence found to be present in numerous ABA and/or stress-regulated genes (Busk P. K., Pages M. (1998) Plant Mol. Biol. 37:425-435). Insertion of 35S enhancer or MMV enhancer into an endogenous promoter region will increase gene expression (U.S. Pat. No. 5,196,525). The promoter (or promoter element) to be inserted can be a promoter (or promoter element) that is endogenous, artificial, pre-existing, or transgenic to the cell that is being edited.

The male-fertility polynucleotides and expression cassettes disclosed herein may be used for transformation of any plant species, including, but not limited to, monocots and dicots. Examples of plant species of interest include, but are not limited to, corn/maize (Zea mays), Brassica sp. (e.g., B. napus, B. rapa, B. juncea), alfalfa (Medicago sativa), rice (Oryza sativa), rye (Secale cereale), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor, Sorghum vulgare), millet (e.g., pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum), proso millet (Panicum miliaceum), foxtail millet (Setaria italica), finger millet (Eleusine coracana)), sunflower (Helianthus annuus), safflower (Carthamus tinctorius), wheat (for species, see below), soybean (Glycine max), tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), potato (Solanum tuberosum), peanuts (Arachis hypogaea), cotton (Gossypium barbadense, Gossypium hirsutum), sweet potato (Ipomoea batatus), cassava (Manihot esculenta), coffee (Coffea spp.), coconut (Cocos nucifera), pineapple (Ananas comosus), citrus trees (Citrus spp.), cocoa (Theobroma cacao), tea (Camellia sinensis), banana (Musa spp.), avocado (Persea americana), fig (Ficus casica), guava (Psidium guajava), mango (Mangifera indica), olive (Olea europaea), papaya (Carica papaya), cashew (Anacardium occidentale), macadamia (Macadamia integrifolia), almond (Prunus amygdalus), sugar beets (Beta vulgaris), sugarcane (Saccharum spp.), oats (Avena sativa), barley (Hordeum vulgare), vegetables, ornamentals, grasses and conifers.

In particular embodiments, wheat plants are used in the methods and compositions disclosed herein. As used herein, the term “wheat” refers to any species of the genus Triticum, including progenitors thereof, as well as progeny thereof produced by crosses with other species. Wheat includes “hexaploid wheat” which has genome organization of AABBDD, comprised of 42 chromosomes, and “tetraploid wheat” which has genome organization of AABB, comprised of 28 chromosomes. Hexaploid wheat includes T. aestivum, T. spelta, T. mocha, T. compactum, T. sphaerococcum, T. vavilovii, and interspecies cross thereof. Tetraploid wheat includes T. durum (also referred to as durum wheat or Triticum turgidum ssp. durum), T. dicoccoides, T. dicoccum, T. polonicum, and interspecies cross thereof. In addition, the term “wheat” includes possible progenitors of hexaploid or tetraploid Triticum sp. such as T. uartu, T. monococcum or T. boeoticum for the A genome, Aegilops speltoides for the B genome, and T. tauschii (also known as Aegilops squarrosa or Aegilops tauschii) for the D genome. A wheat cultivar for use in the present disclosure may belong to, but is not limited to, any of the above-listed species. Also encompassed are plants that are produced by conventional techniques using Triticum sp. as a parent in a sexual cross with a non-Triticum species, such as rye (Secale cereale), including but not limited to Triticale. In some embodiments, the wheat plant is suitable for commercial production of grain, such as commercial varieties of hexaploid wheat or durum wheat, having suitable agronomic characteristics which are known to those skilled in the art.

Vegetables include tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum), lettuce (e.g., Lactuca sativa), green beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), lima beans (Phaseolus limensis), peas (Lathyrus spp.), and members of the genus Cucumis such as cucumber (C. sativus), cantaloupe (C. cantalupensis), and musk melon (C. melo). Ornamentals include azalea (Rhododendron spp.), hydrangea (Macrophylla hydrangea), hibiscus (Hibiscus rosasanensis), roses (Rosa spp.), tulips (Tulipa spp.), daffodils (Narcissus spp.), petunias (Petunia hybrida), carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus), poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima), and chrysanthemum.

Conifers that may be employed in practicing the present methods and compositions include, for example, pines such as loblolly pine (Pinus taeda), slash pine (Pinus elliotii), ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta), and Monterey pine (Pinus radiata); Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii); Western hemlock (Tsuga canadensis); Sitka spruce (Picea glauca); redwood (Sequoia sempervirens); true first such as silver fir (Abies amabilis) and balsam fir (Abies balsamea); and cedars such as Western red cedar (Thuja plicata) and Alaska yellow-cedar (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis). In specific embodiments, plants disclosed herein are crop plants (for example, corn, alfalfa, sunflower, Brassica, soybean, cotton, safflower, peanut, sorghum, wheat, millet, tobacco, etc.). Other plants of interest include grain plants that provide seeds of interest, oil-seed plants, and leguminous plants. Seeds of interest include grain seeds, such as corn, wheat, barley, rice, sorghum, rye, etc. Oil-seed plants include cotton, soybean, safflower, sunflower, Brassica, maize, alfalfa, palm, coconut, etc. Leguminous plants include beans and peas. Beans include guar, locust bean, fenugreek, soybean, garden beans, cowpea, mungbean, lima bean, fava bean, lentils, chickpea, etc.

Typically, an intermediate host cell will be used in the practice of the methods and compositions disclosed herein to increase the copy number of the cloning vector. With an increased copy number, the vector containing the nucleic acid of interest can be isolated in significant quantities for introduction into the desired plant cells. In one embodiment, plant promoters that do not cause expression of the polypeptide in bacteria are employed.

Prokaryotes most frequently are represented by various strains of E. coli; however, other microbial strains may also be used. Commonly used prokaryotic control sequences which are defined herein to include promoters for transcription initiation, optionally with an operator, along with ribosome binding sequences, include such commonly used promoters as the beta lactamase (penicillinase) and lactose (lac) promoter systems (Chang et al. (1977) Nature 198:1056), the tryptophan (trp) promoter system (Goeddel et al. (1980) Nucleic Acids Res. 8:4057) and the lambda derived P L promoter and N-gene ribosome binding site (Shimatake et al. (1981) Nature 292:128). The inclusion of selection markers in DNA vectors transfected in E. coli. is also useful. Examples of such markers include genes specifying resistance to ampicillin, tetracycline, or chloramphenicol.

The vector is selected to allow introduction into the appropriate host cell. Bacterial vectors are typically of plasmid or phage origin. Appropriate bacterial cells are infected with phage vector particles or transfected with naked phage vector DNA. If a plasmid vector is used, the bacterial cells are transfected with the plasmid vector DNA. Expression systems for expressing a protein disclosed herein are available using Bacillus sp. and Salmonella (Palva et al. (1983) Gene 22:229-235); Mosbach et al. (1983) Nature 302:543-545).

In some embodiments, the expression cassette or male-fertility polynucleotides disclosed herein are maintained in a hemizygous state in a plant. Hemizygosity is a genetic condition existing when there is only one copy of a gene (or set of genes) with no allelic counterpart. In certain embodiments, an expression cassette disclosed herein comprises a first promoter operably linked to a male-fertility polynucleotide which is stacked with a male-gamete-disruptive polynucleotide operably linked to a male-tissue-preferred promoter, and such expression cassette is introduced into a male-sterile plant in a hemizygous condition. When the male-fertility polynucleotide is expressed, the plant is able to successfully produce mature pollen grains because the male-fertility polynucleotide restores the plant to a fertile condition. Given the hemizygous condition of the expression cassette, only certain daughter cells will inherit the expression cassette in the process of pollen grain formation. The daughter cells that inherit the expression cassette containing the male-fertility polynucleotide will not develop into mature pollen grains due to the male-tissue-preferred expression of the stacked encoded male-gamete-disruptive gene product. Those pollen grains that do not inherit the expression cassette will continue to develop into mature pollen grains and be functional, but will not contain the male-fertility polynucleotide of the expression cassette and therefore will not transmit the male-fertility polynucleotide to progeny through pollen.

V. Modulating the Concentration and/or Activity of Male-Fertility Polypeptides

A method for modulating the concentration and/or activity of the male-fertility polypeptides disclosed herein in a plant is provided. The term “influences” or “modulates,” as used herein with reference to the concentration and/or activity of the male-fertility polypeptides, refers to any increase or decrease in the concentration and/or activity of the male-fertility polypeptides when compared to an appropriate control. In general, concentration and/or activity of a male-fertility polypeptide disclosed herein is increased or decreased by at least 1%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, or 90% relative to a control plant, plant part, or cell. Modulation as disclosed herein may occur before, during and/or subsequent to growth of the plant to a particular stage of development. In specific embodiments, the male-fertility polypeptides disclosed herein are modulated in monocots, particularly wheat.

A variety of methods can be employed to assay for modulation in the concentration and/or activity of a male-fertility polypeptide. For instance, the expression level of the male-fertility polypeptide may be measured directly, for example, by assaying for the level of the male-fertility polypeptide or RNA in the plant (i.e., Western or Northern blot), or indirectly, for example, by assaying the male-fertility activity of the male-fertility polypeptide in the plant. Methods for measuring the male-fertility activity are described elsewhere herein or known in the art. In specific embodiments, modulation of male-fertility polypeptide concentration and/or activity comprises modulation (i.e., an increase or a decrease) in the level of male-fertility polypeptide in the plant. Methods to measure the level and/or activity of male-fertility polypeptides are known in the art and are discussed elsewhere herein. In still other embodiments, the level and/or activity of the male-fertility polypeptide is modulated in vegetative tissue, in reproductive tissue, or in both vegetative and reproductive tissue.

In one embodiment, the activity and/or concentration of the male-fertility polypeptide is increased by introducing the polypeptide or the corresponding male-fertility polynucleotide into the plant. Subsequently, a plant having the introduced male-fertility sequence is selected using methods known to those of skill in the art such as, but not limited to, Southern blot analysis, DNA sequencing, PCR analysis, or phenotypic analysis. In certain embodiments, marker polynucleotides are introduced with the male-fertility polynucleotide to aid in selection of a plant having or lacking the male-fertility polynucleotide disclosed herein. A plant or plant part altered or modified by the foregoing embodiments is grown under plant-forming conditions for a time sufficient to modulate the concentration and/or activity of the male-fertility polypeptide in the plant. Plant-forming conditions are well known in the art.

As discussed elsewhere herein, many methods are known in the art for providing a polypeptide to a plant including, but not limited to, direct introduction of the polypeptide into the plant, or introducing into the plant (transiently or stably) a polynucleotide construct encoding a male-fertility polypeptide. It is also recognized that the methods disclosed herein may employ a polynucleotide that is not capable of directing, in the transformed plant, the expression of a protein or an RNA. The level and/or activity of a male-fertility polypeptide may be increased, for example, by altering the gene encoding the male-fertility polypeptide or its promoter. See, e.g., Kmiec, U.S. Pat. No. 5,565,350; Zarling et al., PCT/US93/03868. Therefore mutagenized plants that carry mutations in male fertility genes, where the mutations modulate expression of the male fertility gene or modulate the activity of the encoded male-fertility polypeptide, are provided.

In certain embodiments, the concentration and/or activity of a male-fertility polypeptide is increased by introduction into a plant of an expression cassette comprising a male-fertility polynucleotide (e.g. SEQ ID NO: 1, 2, 4, 7, or 9), or an active fragment or variant thereof, as disclosed elsewhere herein. The male-fertility polynucleotide may be operably linked to a promoter that is heterologous to the plant or native to the plant. By increasing the concentration and/or activity of a male-fertility polypeptide in a plant, the male fertility of the plant is likewise increased. Thus, the male fertility of a plant can be increased by increasing the concentration and/or activity of a male-fertility polypeptide. For example, male fertility can be restored to a male-sterile plant by increasing the concentration and/or activity of a male-fertility polypeptide.

It is also recognized that the level and/or activity of the polypeptide may be modulated by employing a polynucleotide that is not capable of directing, in a transformed plant, the expression of a protein or an RNA. For example, the polynucleotides disclosed herein may be used to design polynucleotide constructs that can be employed in methods for altering or mutating a genomic nucleotide sequence in an organism. Such polynucleotide constructs include, but are not limited to, RNA:DNA vectors, RNA:DNA mutational vectors, RNA:DNA repair vectors, mixed-duplex oligonucleotides, self-complementary RNA:DNA oligonucleotides, and recombinogenic oligonucleobases. Such nucleotide constructs and methods of use are known in the art. See, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,565,350; 5,731,181; 5,756,325; 5,760,012; 5,795,972; and 5,871,984; all of which are herein incorporated by reference. See also, WO 98/49350, WO 99/07865, WO 99/25821, and Beetham et al. (1999) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 96:8774-8778, herein incorporated by reference. In some embodiments, virus-induced gene silencing may be employed; see, for example, Ratcliff et al. (2001) Plant J. 25:237-245; Dinesh-Kumar et al. (2003) Methods Mol. Biol. 236:287-294; Lu et al. (2003) Methods 30:296-303; Burch-Smith et al. (2006) Plant Physiol. 142:21-27. It is therefore recognized that methods disclosed herein do not depend on the incorporation of the entire polynucleotide into the genome, only that the plant or cell thereof is altered as a result of the introduction of the polynucleotide into a cell.

In other embodiments, the level and/or activity of the polypeptide may be modulated by methods which do not require introduction of a polynucleotide into the plant, such as by exogenous application of dsRNA to a plant surface; see, for example, WO 2013/025670.

In one embodiment, the genome may be altered following the introduction of the polynucleotide into a cell. For example, the polynucleotide, or any part thereof, may incorporate into the genome of the plant. Alterations to the genome disclosed herein include, but are not limited to, additions, deletions, and substitutions of nucleotides into the genome. While the methods disclosed herein do not depend on additions, deletions, and substitutions of any particular number of nucleotides, it is recognized that such additions, deletions, or substitutions comprise at least one nucleotide.

VI. Definitions

The term “allele” refers to one of two or more different nucleotide sequences that occur at a specific locus.

The term “amplifying” in the context of nucleic acid amplification is any process whereby additional copies of a selected nucleic acid (or a transcribed form thereof) are produced. Typical amplification methods include various polymerase based replication methods, including the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), ligase mediated methods such as the ligase chain reaction (LCR) and RNA polymerase based amplification (e.g., by transcription) methods.

A “BAC”, or bacterial artificial chromosome, is a cloning vector derived from the naturally occurring F factor of Escherichia coli, which itself is a DNA element that can exist as a circular plasmid or can be integrated into the bacterial chromosome. BACs can accept large inserts of DNA sequence.

A “centimorgan” (“cM”) is a unit of measure of recombination frequency. One cM is equal to a 1% chance that a marker at one genetic locus will be separated from a marker at a second locus due to crossing over in a single generation.

A “chromosome” is a single piece of coiled DNA containing many genes that act and move as a unit during cell division and therefore can be said to be linked. It can also be referred to as a “linkage group”.

A “genetic map” is a description of genetic linkage relationships among loci on one or more chromosomes (or linkage groups) within a given species, generally depicted in a diagrammatic or tabular form. For each genetic map, distances between loci are measured by how frequently their alleles appear together in a population (i.e., their recombination frequencies). Alleles can be detected using DNA or protein markers, or observable phenotypes. A genetic map is a product of the mapping population, types of markers used, and the polymorphic potential of each marker between different populations. Genetic distances between loci can differ from one genetic map to another. However, information can be correlated from one map to another using common markers. One of ordinary skill in the art can use common marker positions to identify positions of markers and other loci of interest on each individual genetic map. The order of loci should not change between maps, although frequently there are small changes in marker orders due to e.g. markers detecting alternate duplicate loci in different populations, differences in statistical approaches used to order the markers, novel mutation or laboratory error.

A “genetic map location” is a location on a genetic map relative to surrounding genetic markers on the same linkage group where a specified marker can be found within a given species.

“Genetic mapping” is the process of defining the linkage relationships of loci through the use of genetic markers, populations segregating for the markers, and standard genetic principles of recombination frequency.

“Genetic markers” are nucleic acids that are polymorphic in a population and where the alleles of which can be detected and distinguished by one or more analytic methods, e.g., RFLP, AFLP, isozyme, SNP, SSR, HRM, and the like. The term also refers to nucleic acid sequences complementary to the genomic sequences, such as nucleic acids used as probes. Markers corresponding to genetic polymorphisms between members of a population can be detected by methods well-established in the art. These include, e.g., PCR-based sequence specific amplification methods, detection of restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP), detection of isozyme markers, detection of polynucleotide polymorphisms by allele specific hybridization (ASH), detection of amplified variable sequences of the plant genome, detection of self-sustained sequence replication, detection of simple sequence repeats (SSRs), detection of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), or detection of amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs). Well established methods are also know for the detection of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) and SSR markers derived from EST sequences and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD).

“Genome” refers to the total DNA, or the entire set of genes, carried by a chromosome or chromosome set.

The term “genotype” is the genetic constitution of an individual (or group of individuals) defined by the allele(s) of one or more known loci that the individual has inherited from its parents. More generally, the term genotype can be used to refer to an individual's genetic make-up for all the genes in its genome.

A “locus” is a position on a chromosome, e.g. where a nucleotide, gene, sequence, or marker is located.

A “marker” is a means of finding a position on a genetic or physical map, or else linkages among markers and trait loci (loci affecting traits). The position that the marker detects may be known via detection of polymorphic alleles and their genetic mapping, or else by hybridization, sequence match or amplification of a sequence that has been physically mapped. A marker can be a DNA marker (detects DNA polymorphisms), a protein (detects variation at an encoded polypeptide), or a simply inherited phenotype (such as the ‘waxy’ phenotype). A DNA marker can be developed from genomic nucleotide sequence or from expressed nucleotide sequences (e.g., from a spliced RNA or a cDNA). Depending on the DNA marker technology, the marker will consist of complementary primers flanking the locus and/or complementary probes that hybridize to polymorphic alleles at the locus. A DNA marker, or a genetic marker, can also be used to describe the gene, DNA sequence or nucleotide on the chromosome itself (rather than the components used to detect the gene or DNA sequence) and is often used when that DNA marker is associated with a particular trait in human genetics (e.g. a marker for breast cancer). The term marker locus refers to the locus (gene, sequence or nucleotide) that the marker detects.

Markers that detect genetic polymorphisms between members of a population are well-established in the art. Markers can be defined by the type of polymorphism that they detect and also the marker technology used to detect the polymorphism. Marker types include but are not limited to, e.g., detection of restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP), detection of isozyme markers, randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs), detection of simple sequence repeats (SSRs), detection of amplified variable sequences of the plant genome, detection of self-sustained sequence replication, or detection of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). SNPs can be detected eg via DNA sequencing, PCR-based sequence specific amplification methods, detection of polynucleotide polymorphisms by allele specific hybridization (ASH), dynamic allele-specific hybridization (DASH), Competitive Allele-Specific Polymerase chain reaction (KASPar), molecular beacons, microarray hybridization, oligonucleotide ligase assays, Flap endonucleases, 5′ endonucleases, primer extension, single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) or temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE). DNA sequencing, such as the pyrosequencing technology have the advantage of being able to detect a series of linked SNP alleles that constitute a haplotype. Haplotypes tend to be more informative (detect a higher level of polymorphism) than SNPs.

A “marker allele”, alternatively an “allele detected by a marker” or “an allele at a marker locus”, can refer to one or a plurality of polymorphic nucleotide sequences found at a marker locus in a population.

A “marker locus” is a specific chromosome location in the genome of a species detected by a specific marker. A marker locus can be used to track the presence of a second linked locus, e.g., one that affects the expression of a phenotypic trait. For example, a marker locus can be used to monitor segregation of alleles at a genetically or physically linked locus, such as a QTL.

A “marker probe” is a nucleic acid sequence or molecule that can be used to identify the presence of an allele at a marker locus, e.g., a nucleic acid probe that is complementary to a marker locus sequence, through nucleic acid hybridization. Marker probes comprising 30 or more contiguous nucleotides of the marker locus (“all or a portion” of the marker locus sequence) may be used for nucleic acid hybridization. Alternatively, in some aspects, a marker probe refers to a probe of any type that is able to distinguish (i.e., genotype) the particular allele that is present at a marker locus. Nucleic acids are “complementary” when they specifically “hybridize”, or pair, in solution, e.g., according to Watson-Crick base pairing rules.

The term “molecular marker” may be used to refer to a genetic marker, as defined above, or an encoded product thereof (e.g., a protein) used as a point of reference when identifying a linked locus. A marker can be derived from genomic nucleotide sequences or from expressed nucleotide sequences (e.g., from a spliced RNA, a cDNA, etc.), or from an encoded polypeptide. The term also refers to nucleic acid sequences complementary to or flanking the marker sequences, such as nucleic acids used as probes or primer pairs capable of amplifying the marker sequence. A “molecular marker probe” is a nucleic acid sequence or molecule that can be used to identify the presence of a marker locus, e.g., a nucleic acid probe that is complementary to a marker locus sequence. Alternatively, in some aspects, a marker probe refers to a probe of any type that is able to distinguish (i.e., genotype) the particular allele that is present at a marker locus. Nucleic acids are “complementary” when they specifically hybridize in solution, e.g., according to Watson-Crick base pairing rules. Some of the markers described herein are also referred to as hybridization markers when located on an indel region, such as the non-collinear region described herein. This is because the insertion region is, by definition, a polymorphism vis a vis a plant without the insertion. Thus, the marker need only indicate whether the indel region is present or absent. Any suitable marker detection technology may be used to identify such a hybridization marker, e.g. SNP technology is used in the examples provided herein.

A “physical map” of the genome is a map showing the linear order of identifiable landmarks (including genes, markers, etc.) on chromosome DNA. However, in contrast to genetic maps, the distances between landmarks are absolute (for example, measured in base pairs or isolated and overlapping contiguous genetic fragments) and not based on genetic recombination (that can vary in different populations).

A “plant” can be a whole plant, any part thereof, or a cell or tissue culture derived from a plant. Thus, the term “plant” can refer to any of: whole plants, plant components or organs (e.g., leaves, stems, roots, etc.), plant tissues, seeds, plant cells, and/or progeny of the same. A plant cell is a cell of a plant, taken from a plant, or derived through culture from a cell taken from a plant.

A “polymorphism” is a variation in the DNA between 2 or more individuals within a population. A polymorphism preferably has a frequency of at least 1% in a population. A useful polymorphism can include a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), a simple sequence repeat (SSR), or an insertion/deletion polymorphism, also referred to herein as an “indel”.

A “reference sequence” or a “consensus sequence” is a defined sequence used as a basis for sequence comparison.

TABLE 1 Summary of SEQ ID NOS SEQ ID: Description 1 Barley Ms1 genomic region sequence 2 Barley Ms1 coding sequence 3 Barley Ms1 amino acid sequence 4 Wheat Ms1 coding sequence 5 Wheat Ms1 amino acid sequence 6 Wheat Ms1 promoter sequence 7 Wheat Ms1 4BS wildtype sequence 8 Wheat Ms1 4BS variant promoter 9 Wheat Ms1 4BS variant sequence for complementation 10 Syntenic Hordeum vulgare reference sequence for marker 11_21056 11 Triticum aestivum reference sequence for marker 21056 12 Triticum aestivum reference sequence of cultivar Gladius for marker 21056 13 Triticum aestivum reference sequence of cultivar Chris for marker 21056 14 Aegilops speltoides EST reference sequence for marker BF292015 15 Triticum aestivum reference sequence for marker BF292015 16 Triticum aestivum reference sequence of cultivar Gladius for marker BF292015 17 Triticum aestivum reference sequence of cultivar Chris for marker BF292015 18 Triticum aestivum reference sequence for marker wsnp_Ex_c18318_27140346 19 Triticum aestivum reference sequence of cultivar Gladius for marker wsnp_Ex_c18318_27140346 20 Triticum aestivum reference sequence of cultivar Chris for marker wsnp_Ex_c18318_27140346 21 Triticum aestivum reference sequence for marker wsnp_Ku_c7153_12360198 22 Triticum aestivum reference sequence of cultivar Gladius for marker wsnp_Ku_c7153_12360198 23 Triticum aestivum reference sequence of cultivar Chris for marker wsnp_Ku_c7153_12360198 24 ET0487 amplicon 25 ET0488 amplicon 26 ET0489 amplicon 27 ET0490 amplicon 28 ET0491 amplicon 29 ET0495 amplicon 30 Zea mays alpha-amylase polynucleotide 31 Zea mays alpha-amylase polypeptide 32 Flanking marker 007-0033.1 amplicon 33 Flanking marker 007-0046.1 amplicon 34 ET0292 amplicon; 007-0009.1 35 ET0294 amplicon; 007-0011.1 36 007-0042.1 (4BS 48995435030) 37 007-0182.1 38 TaLTPG1 3′UTR fragment 39 Brachypodium distachyon MS1 amino acid sequence 40 Oryza sativa MS1 amino acid sequence 41 Barley Ms1 promoter 42 Oryza Ms1 genomic region 43 Oryza Ms1 coding sequence 44 Brachypodium Ms1 genomic region 45 Brachypodium Ms1 coding sequence 46 Wheat Ms1 terminator region (see also positions 3384-4335 of SEQ ID NO: 7) 47 Barley Ms1 terminator region (see also positions 2838-3838 of SEQ ID NO: 1)

The article “a” and “an” are used herein to refer to one or more than one (i.e., to at least one) of the grammatical object of the article. By way of example, “an element” means one or more element.

All publications and patent applications mentioned in the specification are indicative of the level of those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains, and all such publications and patent applications are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.

Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it will be obvious that certain changes and modifications may be practiced within the scope of the appended claims.

EXAMPLES

The following examples are offered to illustrate, but not to limit, the appended claims. It is understood that the examples and embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and that persons skilled in the art will recognize various reagents or parameters that can be altered without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Example 1. Genetic Mapping of Ms1

This example demonstrates that by using recombinant mapping populations of wild-type and male-sterile wheat, the causative locus for the male-sterile phenotype of wheat ms1 can be mapped to a 1 cM region on the short arm of chromosome 4 of the B genome. A male sterile (msms) alloplasmic wheat, var. Chris, carrying the FS2 mutant gene (also referred to as ms1d) was crossed to a plant of variety Gladius to create an F₂ mapping population. Sequences in the Ms1 region on chromosome 4BS were identified based either on synteny with wheat chromosome 4AL (Hernandez et al. 2011. Plant Journal 69(3):377-386), barley chromosome 4HS (Mayer et al. 2011. Plant Cell 23(4):1249-1263), Brachypodium chromosome 3 and rice chromosome 1, or bin mapped wheat ESTs (Sorrells et al., 2003 Genome Research 13:1818-1827; La Rota & Sorrells, 2004 Funct Integr Genomics 4: 34-46). Corresponding wheat sequence contigs from reference syntenic sequences (e.g. barley SNP marker 11_21056, for which SEQ ID NO:10 represents a reference sequence) or bin mapped ESTs (e.g. BF292015, for which SEQ ID NO:14 represents a reference sequence) were identified by BLAST to chromosome 4BS-derived IWGSC (International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium) survey sequence assemblies (Mayer, 2014 Science 345 (6194): 1251788). IWGSC contigs were targeted for High Resolution Melting (HRM) marker development or Insertion Site-Based Polymorphism (ISBP-HRM) marker development. ISBP-HRM primers were designed using the ISBP Finder tool (Paux et al., 2010 Plant Biotechnology Journal 8:196-210).

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification was performed using DNA from the following: the parents of the mapping population, 4B nullisomic lines, and the radiation-induced deletions Probus and Cornerstone. Because genetic and physical mapping studies indicate that Cornerstone and Probus are likely to differ in terminal deletion size and extent of telomere repairing, their comparative analysis was used to identify Ms1 flanking markers (Barlow & Driscoll (1981) Genetics. 98(4):791-799; Zhong-an & Darvey (1999) Acta Agriculturae Boreali-Occidentalis Sinica. cnki:ISSN:1004-1389.0.1999-04-006). Primers flanking Ms1 were experimentally determined by the absence of PCR products from DNA nullisomic for chromosome 4B and homozygous for the radiation-induced deletion mutant Cornerstone but present for the homozygous radiation-induced deletion mutant Probus. HRM markers that met the above criteria were used for mapping.

Phenotyping for genetic male sterility was performed by securely covering at least three spikes per plant with sealed white paper bags prior to anthesis, and a quantitative fertility score was then determined by counting the number of florets per spike and the number of seeds per spike and expressing the score as the number of seeds per floret formed.

509 F₂ individuals were initially screened with markers identified to be flanking the Ms1 region on chromosome 4BS and polymorphic between Chris and Gladius. F₂ individuals were assessed phenotypically for genetic male sterility using the procedure described previously. 21 recombinants were identified, and the Ms1 locus was found to be located between the HRM markers 21056 (SEQ ID NO: 11 is the reference sequence) and BF292015 (SEQ ID NO:15 is the reference sequence). HRM markers 21056 and BF292015 were designated to 4BS-derived IWGSC sequence contigs lcl|4BS 4947956 and lcl|4BS 4925422, respectively (Mayer, 2014 Science 345 (6194): 1251788). This region was determined to cover a genetic distance of 14 cM on the 90K consensus map.

Markers were then developed in the region between markers 21056 and BF292015 and tested for their association with the genetic male sterility phenotype. The 9K consensus wheat single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) map (Cavanagh et al. 2013 PNAS 110:8057-8062) was used to identify SNP-containing sequences and corresponding IWGSC contigs that were genetically positioned in the Ms1 region on the short arm of chromosome 4BS in wheat (Mayer 2014. Science 345(6194):1251788). Either SNP containing sequences or the chromosome 4BS-derived IWGSC contigs were targeted for HRM marker development or insertion site-based polymorphism (ISBP-HRM) marker development. A total of 3000 F₂ individuals were screened and 54 recombinants were identified, narrowing the Ms1-containing region to an area bounded by markers wsnp_Ex_c18318_27140346 (SEQ ID NO:18 is the reference sequence) and wsnp_Ku_c7153_12360198 (SEQ ID NO:21 is the reference sequence). Markers wsnp_Ex_c18318_27140346 and wsnp_Ku_c7153_12360198 correspond to 4BS-derived IWGSC sequence contigs lcl|4BS_4920499 and lcl|4BS_4954867 respectively (Mayer, 2014 Science 345 (6194): 1251788). This region spans a genetic interval of 0.5 cM based on the 9K consensus wheat SNP map.

Example 2. Identifying 4BS BACs for Sequencing of Ms1

Eighteen probes were designed within the 0.5 CM region bounded by markers wsnp_Ex_c18318_27140346 (SEQ ID NO:18) and wsnp_Ku_c7153_12360198 (SEQ ID NO:21), using synteny to Brachypodium and rice. Probes were designed to be non-repetitive based on BLAST analysis of target sequences. Probes were then PCR amplified and separated by agarose gel electrophoresis with fragments of desired size being eluted from the gel using Qiaquick Gel Extraction kit (Qiagen, Germantown, Md., USA). PCR fragments were pooled to an equimolar concentration then 32P-dATP radio-labeled by NEBlot kit (New England Biolabs) using manufacturer's protocol. The labeled probe was purified in a Sephadex G50 column (GE Healthcare) and denatured at 100° C. for 10 min. Twenty eight high-density BAC clone colony filters gridded onto Hybond N+ nylon membranes (GE Healthcare, Piscataway, N.J., USA) were used for hybridization. This represents a coverage of 5.1-genome equivalents from the durum wheat variety Langdon (Cenci et al. 2003. Theor Appl Genet 107(5):931-9). For prehybridization, overnight incubation of colony filters in hybridization solution (2×SSPE, 0.5% SDS, 5× Denhardt's reagent (Sambrook & Russel (2001) Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, New York, N.Y., USA), 40 μg/ml salmon sperm DNA) was done in rotary glass tubes at 65° C. The labeled probe was mixed with 5 ml of hybridization solution and colony filters were incubated at 65° C. overnight. To remove the unbound probe, filters were washed twice in washing solution containing 2×SSPE and 0.5% SDS and rinsed with 1×SSC. The washed filters were exposed to X-ray film for one to three days based on the signal intensity to identify positive clones. Šimková (2011) Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology. These probes identified public BACs spanning the Ms1 region.

BACs that gave a positive signal were isolated from the plates. Restriction mapping, PCR experiments with primers corresponding to the markers previously used, and sequences obtained from the ends of each BAC were used to determine the order of the BACs covering the region of interest. Three BACs from the Langdon library that spanned the Ms1 region, representing 251 kB, were selected for sequencing. In addition, a proprietary BAC was sequenced in order to cover the critical region. These BACs were sequenced using standard shotgun sequencing techniques and the sequences assembled using the Phred/Phrap/Consed software package (Ewing et al. (1998) Genome Research, 8:175-185). After assembly, the sequences thought to be in the region closest to the locus on the basis of the mapping data were annotated, meaning that possible gene-encoding regions and regions representing repetitive elements were deduced. Gene encoding (genic) regions were sought using the fGenesH software package (Softberry, Mount Kisco, New York, USA).

Example 3. Identification of Candidate Ms1 Gene

Ten potential coding regions were detected within the 251 kB sequence by mapping cDNAs derived from wheat root, leaf and anther tissues. Table 2 provides the physical position of the 10 likely coding sequences plus their putative peptide function.

TABLE 2 functional annotation sequence (Brachy- gene similarity coordinates orientation podium) 1 Bradi1g12960.1 1 1658 sense partial gene; unknown 2 Bradi1g12970.1 3748 4252 antisense N-acetyl- transferase 3 Bradi1g12980.1 21867 23596 sense parafibromin 4 Bradi1g12990.1 26424 26660 antisense LTPL71 5 Bradi1g13000.1 28697 29260 antisense LTPL72 6 Bradi4g44760.1 30649 32207 antisense ubiquitin- protein ligase 7 Bradi1g69240.1 30436 30612 sense Fbox/LRR domain 8 Bradi1g13030 181034 181291 sense LTPL94 9 Bradi2g05445.1 210365 218154 antisense 60S ribosomal protein 10 Bradi1g13040 227961 230664 antisense globulin-Cupin

Among the 10 open reading frames, three encoded polypeptides with similarity to non-specific lipid transfer proteins (nsLTPs) (Edstam et al., 2014 Physiologia Plantarum doi:10.1111/ppl.12156) were identified. Upon examination of anther transcripts from male sterile homozygous ms1 Cornerstone plants, the cDNA corresponding to SEQ ID NO:4 was not observed. The absence of transcripts from SEQ ID NO: 4 suggests a strong correlation of the ms1 sterility phenotype with this cDNA. This particular sequence is predicted to encode a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored nsLTP (LTPG) polypeptide (SEQ ID NO:5 is the amino acid sequence of the encoded protein) and has been named TaLTPG1, also known as Ms1.

Example 4: Isolation and Sequences of Wheat Mutant Ms1 Alleles

Full-length coding sequences of TaLTPG1 from chromosome 4BS were PCR amplified using a high-fidelity proof-reading enzyme from genomic DNAs isolated from male sterile homozygous Ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS)-induced mutants ms1d and ms1e (Klindworth et al. 2002. Crop Sci. 42:1447-1450) as well as wild-type (Ms1) male fertile genotypes (cultivar Chris). Both strands of PCR amplicons were sequenced using standard Sanger sequencing techniques for GC-rich products. Comparison of ms1 with Ms1-derived Sanger sequencing chromatograms revealed SNPs between each of the ms1 mutant alleles and the wild-type sequence (FIG. 2 ). Sequence analysis predicts that protein function is disrupted for each of these mutants.

ms1d exhibits a SNP at position 1856 (G1856A) when compared to wild-type Ms1 genomic DNA sequence (SEQ ID NO:7). This SNP is predicted to abolish the first exon/intron splice junction, resulting in the read-through to a premature stop codon within the first intron and therefore the abolition of a conserved C-terminal GPI-anchoring domain within the encoded polypeptide.

ms1e exhibits a SNP at position 2962 and a 1 bp deletion at position 2963 (G2962A, C2963del) when compared to wild-type Ms1 genomic DNA sequence (SEQ ID NO:7). The 1 bp deletion in ms1e is predicted to cause a frame-shift and the abolition of a conserved C-terminal GPI-anchoring domain within the encoded polypeptide.

ms1f exhibits a SNP at position 1682 (G1682A) when compared to wild-type Ms1 genomic DNA sequence (SEQ ID NO:7). This SNP is predicted to convert a conserved Cysteine to a Tyrosine (C52Y) within the encoded wild-type Ms1 polypeptide (SEQ ID NO:5). This amino acid change is predicted to disrupt the tertiary confirmation of the mature protein mediated by a di-sulfide bridge.

Example 5. Markers in the Ms1 Region and their Use in Identifying and Selecting Wheat Plants Containing Ms1 Mutations

The Ms1 gene was found to be tightly linked to markers ET0487, ET0488, ET0489, ET0490, ET0491, ET0495, 007-0033.1, and 007-0046.1 that are located in the Ms1 region. See SEQ ID NO: 24-29, 32 and 33. Because the male sterility trait is controlled by a single nuclear recessive gene, all crosses between male sterile mutants and wild type pollinators will result in 100% male fertile F₁ progenies (Ms1 ms1), whereas F₂ and BC₁ progenies will segregate for this trait. It is desirable to determine the genotypes of the progenies, and as such, plants can be evaluated for the presence of the mutation itself, or alternatively, for one or more alleles that are linked to and associated with the mutation in the Ms1 gene (i.e. in linkage disequilibrium with the mutation). For example, one or more alleles at markers ET0487, ET0488, ET0489, ET0490, ET0491, ET0495, 007-0033.1, or 007-0046.1 may be detected to determine if a plant has an Ms1 mutation in the homozygous or heterozygous state. For ms1d, ms1e, or ms1f, the mutations arose in the Chris variety; thus, alleles of Chris located in the vicinity of the Ms1 gene are in linkage disequilibrium with the causal mutation and hence can be evaluated for presence or absence in order to determine if ms1d, ms1e, or ms1f is present. Through marker assisted selection, a plant breeder will be able to follow the presence of the male sterility trait through controlled crosses to obtain, when desired, a new plant containing an Ms1 mutation in either the homozygous or heterozygous state, thus maintaining the Ms1 mutations. A plant breeder can also utilize markers in the Ms1 region to produce mutant male sterile seed parents that would be used as female, i.e. plants that need pollination by a pollen donor plant, to produce seeds of commercial interest or to produce F₁ hybrids that contain an Ms1 mutation in the heterozygous state.

Example 6. Wheat Transformation

Wheat transformation protocols are available to one of skill in the art. See, for example, He, et al., (2010) J. Exp. Botany 61(6):1567-1581; Wu, et al., (2008) Transgenic Res. 17:425-436; Nehra, et al., (1994) Plant J. 5(2):285-297; Rasco-Gaunt, et al., (2001) J. Exp. Botany 52(357):865-874; Razzaq, et al., (2011) African J. Biotech. 10(5):740-750; Tamas-Nyitrai, et al., (2012) Plant Cell Culture Protocols, Methods in Molecular Biology 877:357-384; and U.S. patent publication 2014/0173781.

Example 7. Restoring Male Fertility to Wheat Ms1 Homozygous Recessive Plants by Expressing a Transformed Copy of an Ms1 Gene or Ortholog

In a previous example, nucleotide sequence differences were detected within regions of DNA that correspond to the Ms1 candidate gene from ms1d, ms1e and ms1f plants. In this example, various strategies are described for restoring male fertility to homozygous recessive ms1d plants. Male-sterile wheat plants containing an ms1 mutation are restored to male fertility when transformed with a DNA vector containing a functional copy of an Ms1 gene. This demonstrates that the candidate Ms1 gene is effective in complementing ms1 mutations which cause the male-sterile phenotype.

Although wheat is an allohexaploid containing three related genomes (ABD) with similar gene content, it behaves as a diploid during meiosis. Often the related wheat genomes contain homeologous genes that have similar gene structure and function, requiring triple mutants to result in a loss-of-function phenotype. However, the wheat male sterility phenotype observed in the ms1d mutant segregates at a 3:1 ratio of fertile to sterile plants. This indicates that in this mutant, a single recessive locus in the homozygous condition induces a male sterility phenotype and that this locus segregates according to the laws of Mendelian inheritance. The lack of functional redundancy with the other homeologues for Ms1 indicates that there has been divergence in the function of the A and D genome copies of this gene.

Marker development and assessment has shown that a heterozygous ms1 locus segregates at a 1:2:1 ratio of homozygous wild type to heterozygous to homozygous mutant. The correlation of phenotypic and genotypic data supports the Mendelian inheritance of the ms1 mutation.

The Mendelian nature of the ms1 mutation will facilitate introgression of a male sterility trait into different genetic backgrounds.

One strategy to restore male fertility to ms1 plants is to express a gene or genes that can overcome the loss of function or activity resulting from Ms1 mutation or deletion. A gene from wheat, or from another plant species, having identical or similar function to Ms1 is used to restore gene activity in transformed wheat plants. For example, as shown in FIG. 1 , a gene from barley encodes a protein with high amino acid sequence similarity to the wheat Ms1 gene product, with approximately 79% sequence identity. The barley gene present within SEQ ID NO: 1 is introduced into wheat ms1 mutant plants to restore male fertility. This barley gene may be expressed using its native promoter (see SEQ ID NO: 1, nucleotides 1-902) or a non-native promoter, such as a tissue-preferred, constitutive or conditional promoter, to restore male fertility. Other monocot or dicot plants, can also serve as sources of a complementing gene and promoter to restore male fertility to ms1 mutant male-sterile wheat plants. The gene and promoter may be from one source or from a combination of source species, for example, from one or more of wheat, barley, rice, and Brachypodium.

In another strategy, the wild-type wheat Ms1 gene or a variant (see, for example, SEQ ID NO: 1, 2, 4, 7, 9, 42, 43, 44 or 45) is used to restore male fertility to homozygous recessive ms1 plants. The variant Ms1 gene comprises alteration of one or more DNA restriction sites to allow compatibility with DNA vectors used for plant transformation. See, for example, SEQ ID NO: 9, which comprises nucleotide changes introduced at positions 2, 3, 1209, and 1301, to facilitate vector construction. The Ms1 gene is introduced into ms1 plants by known plant transformation methods to produce plants containing stably integrated versions of the Ms1 gene for fertility complementation. As an alternative to using the native Ms1 promoter (SEQ ID NO: 6), a promoter variant (for example see SEQ ID NO: 8, which comprises nucleotide changes introduced to facilitate vector construction), or other plant, such as SEQ ID NO: 41, or non-plant constitutive, conditional or tissue-preferred promoter is used to express a wild-type or variant version of the Ms1 gene or cDNA for the purpose of restoring male fertility to homozygous recessive ms1 wheat plants. The gene and promoter may be from one source species or from a combination of source species. In some examples, the promoter is a Ms1 promoter from wheat, rice, barley or Brachypodium. The genomic Ms1 sequence 3′ to the translational stop codon comprises a functional terminator region; see SEQ ID NO: 7 UTR at positions 3384-4335 (SEQ ID NO: 46). See also SEQ ID NO: 1 UTR at positions 2838-3838 (SEQ ID NO: 47).

Constructs and Transformation

To restore the fertility of ms1d/ms1d homozygous mutants, the wheat Ms1 gene under control of the native wheat Ms1 promoter and terminator was linked to a DsRed2 gene under control of the barley LTP2 promoter (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,525,716) and also carrying a PINII terminator sequence (TaMs1-DsRED). This construct was transformed directly into wheat embryos harvested from Ms1/ms1d heterozygote plants through Agrobacterium-mediated transformation methods as referenced elsewhere herein. Several independent T-DNA insertion events containing TaMs1-DsRED were obtained for construct evaluation in ms1d plants.

T0 Plant Generation and Analysis

T0 wheat plants containing a single-copy TaMs1-DsRED cassette were identified and genotyped as homozygous or heterozygous for ms1d mutation. Selfed seed from these individual plants was counted as a qualitative measure of male fertility. As shown in Table 3, no seed set was observed in ms1d/ms1d homozygous plants lacking the TaMs1-DsRED cassette. In contrast, seed set was observed when ms1d/ms1d homozygous plants contained a transformed copy of the TaMs1-DsRED cassette. These results demonstrate that the transformed copy of TaMs1 was functional and able to restore fertility to ms1d/ms1d homozyous male sterile plants.

TABLE 3 Seed set in T0 wheat plants containing a TaMs1 complementation T-DNA insertion. T-DNA Male Insertion ms1d T-DNA Copy Fertility Event Genotype Number Phenotype Event-1 ms1d/ms1d 1 Fertile Event-2 ms1d/ms1d 1 Fertile Event-3 ms1d/ms1d 2 Fertile Event-4 ms1d/ms1d 2 Fertile Event-5 ms1d/ms1d 3 Fertile Event-6 ms1d/ms1d 4 Fertile Event-7 Ms1/ms1d 1 Fertile Event-8 Ms1/ms1d 1 Fertile Event-9 Ms1/ms1d 1 Fertile Event-10 Ms1/ms1d 1 Fertile Event-11 Ms1/ms1d 1 Fertile No T-DNA ms1d/ms1d 0 Sterile No T-DNA ms1d/ms1d 0 Sterile T1 Plant Analysis; Molecular and Phenotypic

Inheritance of complementation by TaMs1 T-DNA insertion was shown by analyzing the T1 plants derived from two separate T0 plants with independent T-DNA insertions (Event-1 and Event-7). One set of T1 progeny was derived from a T0 plant homozygous for ms1d mutation (ms1d/ms1d) with TaMs1-DsRED cassette (Event-1). The second set of T1 progeny was derived from a T0 plant heterozygous for ms1d mutation (Ms1/ms1d) with TaMs1-DsRED cassette (Event-7). Plants from both sets were genotyped for ms1d and the T-DNA insertion. In both sets of T1 progeny, all the plants with genotype ms1d/ms1 and T-DNA insertion (Event-1 or Event-7) were fertile as determined by production of seed (Table 4). All the progeny with genotype ms1d/ms1d without the T-DNA insertion were male sterile and did not produce seed. This clearly demonstrated that the TaMs1 complementation T-DNA insertion is able to restore fertility to the ms1d/ms1d mutant plants and this ability is passed on to the progeny.

TABLE 4 Fertility of T1 plants with or without a TaMs1 complementation T-DNA insertion. Male T1 T-DNA Copy Fertility T0 Event Plant ms1d genotype Number Phenotype Event-1 Plant 1 homozygous 1 Fertile Event-1 Plant 2 homozygous 1 Fertile Event-1 Plant 3 homozygous 1 Fertile Event-1 Plant 4 homozygous 1 Fertile Event-1 Plant 5 homozygous 2 Fertile Event-1 Plant 6 homozygous 2 Fertile Event-1 Plant 7 homozygous 2 Fertile Event-1 Plant 8 homozygous 0 Sterile Event-1 Plant 9 homozygous 0 Sterile Event-7 Plant 1 homozygous 1 Fertile Event-7 Plant 2 homozygous 1 Fertile Event-7 Plant 3 homozygous 1 Fertile Event-7 Plant 4 homozygous 2 Fertile Event-7 Plant 5 homozygous 2 Fertile Event-7 Plant 6 homozygous 2 Fertile Event-7 Plant 7 homozygous 0 Sterile Event-7 Plant 8 homozygous 0 Sterile In conclusion, analysis of the T0 and T1 plants with the T-DNA insertion containing the native wheat MS1 gene showed that this gene is able to restore fertility to the ms1d/ms1d homozygous recessive mutation. This example is a further proof that the ms1d mutation is in the wheat Ms1 gene.

Example 8. Inbred Maintenance and Increase of Wheat Ms1 Male-Sterile Plants Using a Hemizygous Maintainer

This example demonstrates that wheat plants homozygous recessive for ms1 can be maintained as male-sterile plants using a functional copy of Ms1 linked to a seed marker gene and pollen inhibition gene.

It would be advantageous to produce a pure line of male-sterile plants to allow for cross pollination with a different inbred wheat variety to produce hybrid seed. Generally, strategies that incorporate recessive male sterility result in plants that cannot self-pollinate. To accomplish self-pollination and the production of a pure line of male-sterile plants for cross pollination, an expression cassette (Ms1-AA-Red) is constructed which comprises a functional copy of Ms1 linked to the maize PG47 promoter expressing a functional alpha amylase gene (see, for example, SEQ ID NO: 30) and further linked to a color-marker gene (for example, encoding a red fluorescent protein) under control of the barley LTP2 promoter (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,525,716) and also carrying a PINII terminator sequence. Using biolistic or Agrobacterium-mediated transformation, this construct is transformed directly into embryos derived from self-pollinated Ms1/ms1 wheat plants. Transformed embryos are regenerated into plants. Wheat plants (ms1/ms1) containing single-copy Ms1-AA-Red cassette, which can be identified using markers flanking the ms1 locus as described above, are male-fertile and are allowed to self-pollinate. Due to the action of PG47:AA to inhibit pollen function and thus prevent transmission of the Ms1-AA-Red expression cassette through pollen, seed from this generation of progeny will segregate at a frequency of 1:1 red-fluorescence and non-fluorescence. Progeny grown from red-fluorescing seed are hemizygous for Ms1-AA-Red, homozygous for ms1, and male fertile; these are used to propagate (i.e., “maintain”) the male-sterile inbred. Progeny of the non-fluorescing seed do not contain a transformed copy of the Ms1 complementing gene, are homozygous for ms1 and male-sterile. These male-sterile inbreds are used as the female inbred for the production of hybrid seed when planted adjacent to male inbred wheat plants that are wild-type for the Ms1 gene.

Example 9. Targeted Regulation or Mutagenesis of Gene

For male fertility applications, it may be advantageous to mutate the endogenous Ms1 gene or change its expression, such as by methods described in this example.

Introducing an RNA into a living cell has been shown to inhibit expression of a target gene in that cell. (Bae et al. (2010) Plant Breeding 129 (6):647-651; Beetham et al. (1999) Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 96 (15):8774-8778, doi:10.1073/pnas.96.15.8774; Cigan et al. (2010) U.S. Pat. No. 7,696,405; Cigan et al. (2005) The Plant Journal 43 (6):929-940; Dalakouras et al. (2009) The Plant Journal 60 (5):840-851, doi:10.1111/j.1365-313X.2009.04003.x; Fire et al. (1998) Nature 391 (6669):806-811; Fire et al. (1999) WO 1999032619 A1; Mette et al. (2000) EMBO J 19 (19):5194-5201; Okuzaki and Toriyama (2004) Plant Cell Reports 22 (7):509-512. doi:10.1007/s00299-003-0698-2; Tang (2013) WO 2013025670 A1; Timmons and Fire (1998) Nature 395:854; Yu et al. (2002) PNAS 99 (9):6047-6052. A skilled artisan will appreciate that the RNA could be expressed within the cell or applied exogenously (Tang WO 2013025670 A1)).

Interfering RNA may target transcription, translation or mRNA stability, thereby changing the expression of the targeted gene. In this example, expression of the Ms1 gene is reduced or silenced by expressing in planta either RNAs that target the promoter region, as has been shown previously in monocots (Cigan et al. 2010) including wheat (U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/203,698), or RNAs that target the expressed mRNA, either individually or in combination. For the promoter inverted repeat approach, a portion of the Ms1 promoter region may be duplicated, juxtaposed and oriented in tandem in opposite directions and placed under the control of a constitutive, tissue-preferred or conditional promoter in a plant transformation vector, for the purpose of expressing the promoter inverted repeat RNA in plant cells to silence a gene operably linked to the target promoter.

The skilled artisan will further appreciate that changes can be introduced by mutation of the nucleic acid sequences, thereby leading to changes in either the expression of encoded mRNAs or the amino acid sequence of the encoded Ms1 polypeptide, resulting in alteration of the biological activity of the mRNA or protein, respectively, or both. See for example methods described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/463,687 filed on Aug. 20, 2014, incorporated by reference in its entirety herein. Thus, variant nucleic acid molecules can be created by introducing one or more nucleotide substitutions, additions and/or deletions into the corresponding nucleic acid sequence or surrounding sequences disclosed herein. Such variant nucleic acid sequences are also encompassed by the present disclosure.

Variant nucleic acid sequences can be made by introducing sequence changes randomly along all or part of the Ms1 genic region, including, but not limited to, chemical or irradiation mutagenesis and oligonucleotide-mediated mutagenesis (OMM) (Beetham et al. 1999; Okuzaki and Toriyama 2004). Alternatively or additionally, sequence changes can be introduced at specific selected sites using double-strand-break technologies such as but not limited to ZNFs, custom designed homing endonucleases, TALENs, CRISPR/CAS (also referred to as guide RNA/Cas endonuclease systems (U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/463,687 filed on Aug. 20, 2014)), or other protein-, or polynucleotide-, or coupled polynucleotide-protein-based mutagenesis technologies. The resultant variants can be screened for altered Ms1 activity. It will be appreciated that the techniques are often not mutually exclusive. Indeed, the various methods can be used singly or in combination, in parallel or in series, to create or access diverse sequence variants.

Example 10. Ms1 Promoter-Inverted-Repeat Expression Affects Fertility in Wheat

This example demonstrates that the fertility of plants can be altered by expression of Ms1-promoter-specific inverted repeat (promoter-inverted-repeat, pIR) molecules. This provides further evidence that expression of the Ms1 gene is required for male fertility in wheat.

A pIR construct was generated by linking a ubiquitin promoter to inverted repeats which targeted a portion of the wheat Ms1 promoter (SEQ ID NO: 6), including a NOS spacer segment between the inverted repeat sequences. Nucleic acid molecules and methods for preparing the vector were as previously described (Cigan et al Plant Journal (2005) 43, 929-940). This construct was introduced into wheat Fielder variety by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation using methods known in the art and referenced elsewhere herein.

Plants were grown in the greenhouse. Transgene copy-number was determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR). Plants were grown to maturity and male fertility phenotype was recorded.

Suppression was sufficient to cause male-sterility in 100% of events. Both single-copy and multi-copy T-DNA insertion events were male-sterile, indicating that both single-copy and multi-copy insertion events are effective. This example further demonstrates that Ms1 gene is a male fertility gene in wheat and its suppression results in male sterility. 

That which is claimed:
 1. A method for identifying and/or selecting in at least one wheat plant that is homozygous or heterozygous for a mutation in an endogenous Ms1 gene, wherein said mutation induces nuclear recessive male sterility, said method comprising: a. detecting at least one marker allele that is linked to and associated with a mutation in the endogenous Ms1 gene, wherein said marker allele linked to and associated with a mutation in the endogenous Ms1 gene is an allele at marker ET0487 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:24, ET0488 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:25, ET0489 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:26, ET0490 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:27, ET0491 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:28, ET0495 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:29, or 007-0033.1 as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 32; and b. selecting the at least one wheat plant having the at least one marker allele.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said endogenous Ms1 gene encodes the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:5. 